From staff and wire reports
IRVING, Texas (AP) — Nearly 300 people were arrested Wednesday in immigration and identity theft raids at Pilgrim’s Pride poultry plants in five states.
None of Alabama’s Pilgrim’s Pride plants, including the chicken-processing plant in Athens, were raided. A spokesperson there referred questions to the corporate office in Pittsburg, Texas.
More than 100 people were arrested on immigration violations in Chattanooga, Tenn., and Moorefield, W.Va., with 45 arrests in Mount Pleasant, Texas, on charges of false use of Social Security numbers.
More than 25 people face administrative charges of immigration violations in Live Oak, Fla. They will also face identity theft or document fraud charges. More than 20 were arrested in Batesville, Ark., on federal warrants for alleged document fraud or identity theft.
“We knew in advance and cooperated fully,” said Pilgrim’s Pride spokesman Ray Atkinson.
Pilgrim’s Pride faces no charges, he said.
The raids were part of a long-term investigation, officials said. Plants were raided in Mount Pleasant, Texas, Batesville, Ark., Live Oak, Fla., Chattanooga, Tenn. and Moorefield, W.Va., authorities said.
The company has about 55,000 employees and operates dozens of facilities, mostly across the South and in Mexico and Puerto Rico.
Pilgrim’s Pride has live chicken processing plants in Athens, Boaz, Enterprise, Guntersville and Russellville; prepared-foods processing in Boaz, Enterprise, Falkville, Guntersville and Tuscumbia; and hatcheries in Albertville, Crossville, Cullman, Enterprise, Fort Payne, Jasper, Moulton, Ranburne and Russellville.
