All but one of the illegal workers were released pending their removal hearing. One undocumented worker had previously been deported and is being detained at the INS detention facility on Airport Way. The Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 made it illegal to hire undocumented workers and required employers to view citizenship documents from all employees, including U.S. citizens. Agents raided an Everett manufacturing plant early Thursday morning. Inside they found 62 illegal immigrants hard at work.
Authorities say the plant operator had no idea.
Immigration and Naturalization Service agents capped off an investigation when they rounded up dozens of workers who they say used fake documents to get jobs. This was a big operation and even the INS was urprised by what it found. Solectron Inc. is a big plant. The Everett manufacturing facility employs more than 900 workers who make circuit boards and other computer components. INS agents say the company and its hiring agent, Kelly Services, got duped by illegal immigrants mostly from Indonesia, who used sophisticated fake documents to get jobs.