Sandhusker
Well-known member
WASHINGTON (AP) - Attorney General Alberto Gonzales announced on Tuesday the indictments of 148 illegal immigrants who allegedly acquired other peoples' Social Security numbers and other personal information to get jobs at Swift & Co. meat packing plants.
The indictments, issued in Iowa and five other states, follow federal raids on the plants last month in the largest-ever workplace crackdown on illegal immigration. The raids led to the arrests of nearly 1,300 employees and temporarily halted operations at the Greeley, Colo.-based meat processor.
"Obviously, we're concerned about identity theft in this country," Gonzales said.
He said the Bush administration is studying ways to curb identity theft, including better ways for police to report the crime and to reduce the access that thieves have to Social Security numbers.
The federal indictments include: 53 in Texas, 30 in Iowa, 26 in Nebraska, 20 in Minnesota, 18 in Utah and one in Colorado. Local prosecutors are bringing state charges against the immigrants, including 80 in Cache County, Utah, and 18 in Weld County, Colo.
The indictments, issued in Iowa and five other states, follow federal raids on the plants last month in the largest-ever workplace crackdown on illegal immigration. The raids led to the arrests of nearly 1,300 employees and temporarily halted operations at the Greeley, Colo.-based meat processor.
"Obviously, we're concerned about identity theft in this country," Gonzales said.
He said the Bush administration is studying ways to curb identity theft, including better ways for police to report the crime and to reduce the access that thieves have to Social Security numbers.
The federal indictments include: 53 in Texas, 30 in Iowa, 26 in Nebraska, 20 in Minnesota, 18 in Utah and one in Colorado. Local prosecutors are bringing state charges against the immigrants, including 80 in Cache County, Utah, and 18 in Weld County, Colo.