Families upset, immigration officials respond

HOMEDALE -- Family members of the illegal immigrants taken into custody after a raid in rural Owyhee County showed up to the plant this afternoon to collect paychecks.

NewsChannel 7 stopped by the business too and the owner told us he had no idea about the raid. 

The bust happened Wednesday morning.  The owner of Specialty Inc. Wood Products in Homedale says he was caught off guard when several undercover agents surrounded his business and helicopters circled above.

According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, also known as ICE, they had been tipped off that illegal immigrants were working for the pallet plant.

Today, family members went to talk to the owner. 

He says he had no idea the raid was going to happen.  He believed his employees had the proper paperwork and many of them had worked there for several years and were good employees.

Family members talked to the media Thursday, and ICE's spokesperson responded today.

"I wish law enforcement would focus on those that are criminals, those that are committing murders, those are the one they should be going after instead of going after people that are actually working helping the U.S. economy," said Victoria Medina whose husband was arrested.

"When people steal other's identities, when they use counterfeit documents, that is not a victimless crime. They are stealing someone’s identity who is in the U.S. legally, who is authorized to be here. And this is a violation of the law and ICE enforces the laws on the books," said Lorie Dankers, ICE spokesperson.

Of those arrested, three had deportation records.  They’ve been deported before, but returned.

Two of those arrested have previous criminal charges.  One in the Canyon County, the other in Valley County.

Two others were released on a humanitarian effort -- that means they had to take care of children.

Immigration enforcers were also in Parma Thursday.  They were following a lead on one illegal immigrant who did not return to court for his deportation hearing.  They were unable to find that man.