The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency (ICE) announced the indictment of two managers of The Farms, an agricultural conglomerate based in Waipahu, Hawaii. In July 2008, ICE executed nine federal search warrants and arrested 43 foreign nationals employed by The Farms. Under the indictment, David Kato is charged with six felony counts and Glenn McCaig with 16. If convicted of all the charges, Kato faces up to 45 years in prison and a $1.5 million fine; McCaig faces 100 years in prison and a $4 million fine. The defendants made their initial appearance in federal court on December 4.

For more information on this indictment, click here.

On December 4, 2008, ICE also announced the arrest of 16 undocumented workers at an Idaho wood framing company on administrative immigration violations. According to the press release, the illegal workers, all of whom are male, were employed by Idaho Truss in Nampa, Idaho, and will be placed in deportation proceedings. The arrests are part of an ongoing ICE worksite enforcement investigation. For more information on this enforcement action, click here.

By Ann Massey Badmus