By GREG HARDESTY and CINDY CARCAMO
THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
June 29, 2010
FULLERTON – Agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement raided a manufacturing plant Tuesday morning and took 43 people into custody, officials said.
At about 8:30 a.m., ICE agents executed a federal search warrant at Terra Universal Inc. on South Raymond Avenue where they took a group of people into custody to be processed on suspected immigration violations, said Lori Haley, an ICE spokeswoman.
The 43 are suspected of being in the country illegally, she added.
The number could drop if ICE determines that some suspects should be released for humanitarian reasons such as medical issues, child or elder care issues, Haley said.
Because the search warrant is under seal and the raid is part of an ongoing criminal investigation, no other information was immediately available, Haley said.
Terra describes itself as a leading designer, builder and equipper of cleanrooms and laboratories since 1976.
An immigration lawyer for Terra decried the raid as overkill, saying it lead to a shutdown that cost the company $250,000 in lost business.
"This was like using a SWAT team to arrest a jaywalker," attorney David Ross said.
Terra employs about 150 at its administrative and manufacturing complex in Fullerton, which totals about 115,000 square feet.
According to Ross, about 30 armed ICE agents "invaded" the company and initially detained the entire workforce – "of which at least 100 are American citizens," he said.
Ross said the search warrant was limited to employment records, but that ICE agents shut down the entire company, including shipping, sales, engineering and marketing.
At one point, ICE agents shut down the phone and computer systems too, Ross said.
"All the agents had to do was check the employment records," Ross said.
The company is "assiduous" about hiring people who conform to the law, Ross said.
"Terra Universal completely complies with immigration law, and has done so for many years," he added.
Ross said he anticipates that most of the 43 people detained will be released.
http://www.ocregister.com/news/agents-255538-ice-plant.html?cb=1277861704
