ICE arrests 84 people at Louisiana racetrack
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested 84 people unlawfully in the country during a raid at a southwest Louisiana racetrack, the agency announced Tuesday.
ICE said it raided the Delta Downs Racetrack, Hotel and Casino in Calcasieu Parish on Monday alongside other state and federal agencies, including the FBI and the U.S. Border Patrol.
Authorities had 'received intelligence' that businesses operating at the racetrack's stables employed 'unauthorized workers' who were then targeted in the raid, ICE said.
Of the dozens of workers detained during the raid, 'at least two' had prior criminal records, according to the agency.
The raid included the arrest of a 36-year-old Mexican national who ICE said had previously been charged with driving under the influence, cocaine possession and illegal reentry.
The agency's press release also highlighted a 40-year-old Mexican national who it said had been arrested previously for aggravated battery with a dangerous weapon and sexual battery, among other charges.
'These enforcement operations aim to disrupt illegal employment networks that threaten the integrity of our labor systems, put American jobs at risk and create pathways for exploitation within critical sectors of our economy,' said Steven Stavinoha, U.S. Customs and Border Protection director of field operations in New Orleans, in a written statement.
'Our Company complies fully with federal labor laws, and to our knowledge, no Delta Downs team members were involved in this matter,' said David Strow, a spokesperson for Boyd Gaming Corporation which owns the racetrack, in an emailed statement. 'We will cooperate with law enforcement as requested.'
___
Brook is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.
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