April 4, 2007

ICE arrests 62 managers, employees of QSI industrial cleaning service in worksite enforcement operation
49 illegal aliens were also arrested on administrative immigration charges

BEARDSTOWN, Ill. - Early this morning, special agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested 13 managers and employees from "Quality Service Integrity Inc." (QSI), a cleaning service operating within the Cargill Meat Solutions Plant here, on criminal charges of aggravated identity theft. Following the execution of a criminal search warrant and 27 criminal arrest warrants, 49 illegal aliens were also administratively arrested during the operation.

Evidence uncovered in this investigation indicates that valid identities of U.S. permanent residents and U.S. citizens were allegedly obtained and used to employ illegal aliens at QSI. The targets of the warrants are employees and managers of QSI, which is under contract by Cargill to clean the meat processing plant. Neither Cargill Meat Solutions nor its employees have been charged with any crime. The court-authorized warrants allowed ICE agents to search for evidence and to apprehend any illegal alien workers encountered at the facility.

"Today's enforcement action is part of ICE's aggressive ongoing pursuit of employers who egregiously violate the law," said Elissa A. Brown, special agent in charge of the ICE Office of Investigations in Chicago. "All employers in all industries and locations must comply with the nation's laws. ICE, and our law enforcement partners, will continue to enforce immigration laws from all angles, including: criminal charges, asset seizures, administrative arrests and deportations." Brown heads a six-state area which includes: Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Kansas, Missouri and Wisconsin.

U.S. Attorney Rodger A. Heaton, Central District of Illinois, stated, "Any employer who knowingly hires illegal aliens risks federal felony charges. It's not a risk worth taking. Flagrant disregard for the law corrupts our immigration system."

A criminal complaint charges two QSI managers with aggravated identity theft and aiding and abetting aggravated identity theft in connection with alleged hiring of illegal aliens. Gerardo Dominguez-Chacon, the Beardstown QSI plant manager, and Maria del Pilar Marroquin de Ramirez, the QSI personnel administrator, both residents of Beardstown, Ill., have been arrested. Dominguez-Chacon was arrested at his residence. In addition, 25 illegal aliens, employees of QSI, are charged with aggravated identity theft. The two defendants and 11 employees criminally arrested today are scheduled to make initial appearances in federal court in Springfield, Ill., April 5 at 1 p.m.

The criminal complaint charging the 27 individuals was filed March 30 and was unsealed by the court this morning following today's arrests. The affidavit filed in support of the complaint alleges that from Dec. 18 through March 22, Dominguez-Chacon and Marroquin de Ramirez knowingly hired illegal aliens to work at QSI. Dominguez-Chacon allegedly had access to several assumed identities which he provided to new employees. Further, the affidavit alleges Dominguez-Chacon provided information to known illegal aliens seeking employment with QSI regarding obtaining false identification documents. These documents included valid social security numbers of U.S. citizens or U.S. permanent residents.

The complaint charges 25 QSI workers with aggravated identity theft related to their alleged use of assumed identities and social security numbers that relate or correspond to valid social security numbers of U.S citizens or U.S. permanent residents. According to the affidavit, ICE agents used database checks to determine that 17 of the 25 workers charged were using identities of individuals who have criminal histories outside the state of Illinois.

The investigation, which is ongoing, began in January. The ICE investigation revealed that most of the QSI workforce was composed of illegal aliens. If convicted, the statutory penalty for aggravated identity theft is a mandatory minimum two years in prison.

Those arrested on criminal arrest warrants will be transported to Springfield, Ill., for processing, and will then be turned over to the U.S. Marshals Service. Those administratively arrested will be transferred to a secure facility in Broadview, Ill., for processing, which includes interviews, photographing, fingerprinting, etc. After processing they will be transferred to county jails in the Chicago area. Some arrested individuals may be conditionally released and required to appear before a federal immigration judge at a future date.

All of the immigration status violators arrested today will be interviewed by ICE staff and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Division of Immigration Health Services (HHS/DIHS) to record any medical, sole-caregiver or other humanitarian situations. Each of the arrested aliens was also medically screened by HHS/DIHS to determine any urgent medical needs. Based upon these interviews, ICE will determine whether detainees remain in custody or are considered for humanitarian release. ICE today released 11 illegal aliens on humanitarian grounds. In all cases, the illegal aliens will be fingerprinted and processed for removal from the United States. ICE also coordinated closely with the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) regarding family and child-care issues.

A 24-hour toll-free hotline exclusively for family members of illegal aliens who are arrested in today's operation is available to field questions about detention status and the removal process. The hotline is now operational; the phone number is: 866-341-3858.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Gilmore, Central District of Illinois, is prosecuting this case. The public is reminded that a complaint is merely an accusation; the defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty.

-- ICE --

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is the largest investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security. ICE comprises four integrated divisions that form a 21st century law enforcement agency with broad responsibilities for a number of key homeland security priorities. For more information, visit www.ICE.gov. To report suspicious activity, call 1-866-347-2423.

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