86 of 146 Salem workers arrested by ICE still jailed

SALEM

About 60 workers at the Fresh Mark plant in Salem who were detained in Tuesday’s raid by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement have been released, an ICE spokesman confirmed today.

The remaining 86 workers swept up in the raid are being detained at the Northeast Ohio Correctional Center on Hubbard Road and the Geauga County jail.

Khaalid Walls, northeast regional communications director for ICE, said the men were sent to the East Side private prison and the women were sent to Geauga County.

With 146 workers detained, the raid on the meat-processing plant was the largest workplace raid carried out under the Trump administration. ICE agents also served warrants at Fresh Mark offices in Canton and Massillon to collect documents.

Walls said the investigation continues and could result in additional charges. He did not rule out charges against Fresh Mark employees who may have hired workers in the country illegally.

ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations began its investigation of Fresh Mark more than a year ago based on evidence that the company may have knowingly hired those in the country illegally.

Read more on the situation in Friday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.