The Christian Science Monitor
PHOENIX - The latest roundup of illegal immigrants caught working in the US with fraudulent identifications - the largest single such work-site action ever - raises new questions about a link between illegal immigration and the growing problem of identity theft.
Federal raids Tuesday at six meat-processing plants owned by Swift & Co. in six states resulted in the arrests of 1,282 people for immigration violation - with 65 also charged with identify theft or other criminal charges.
The investigation is continuing, say officials with US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), with the hope that some of the newly arrested workers will lead law officers to "document rings" that provided the stolen identities. The 10-month operation began in February, when ICE learned that "large numbers" of undocumented immigrants might be using
Social Security numbers assigned to US citizens.