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South Carolina probe into fake IDs leads to ICE detention of 48 immigrants; 6 other people indicted

A two-year investigation into immigrants with fake identity documents led to federal officials detaining 48 workers at a South Carolina metal casting business and six people facing state charges, including two top managers at the plant, authorities announced Thursday.

Dozens of officials with federal and local law enforcement agencies raided Burnstein von Seelen Precision Castings in Abbeville on Wednesday.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers took the workers into custody on alleged immigration violations, and the company’s plant manager and human resources director were arrested on allegations they knowingly hired immigrants in the U.S. illegally, state Attorney General Alan Wilson said at a news conference

The company officials were indicted by a state grand jury, along with four other people accused of making and selling false U.S. and state identifications using information from identity thefts.

“We want to send a message that this isn’t about going after people who are trying to feed their family,” Wilson said. “This isn’t going after companies or businesses who unknowingly hiring illegal. This is about going after something much larger, you know, a conspiracy of people around South Carolina to steal identities, to create fake Social Security cards, fake driver’s license, fake immigration documents.”

https://apnews.com/article/identity-theft-immigrant-arrests-south-carolina-5cb108167975c83c5ae43cfa96d116df