Federal authorities said Thursday that at least 46 undocumented workers were detained during a massive Department of Homeland Security (DHS) operation at a freight facility in Avenel, New Jersey, on Wednesday.
According to a DHS statement to Fox News Digital, law enforcement personnel conducted the inspection at a federally approved Container Freight Station as part of an ongoing program to ensure compliance with immigration regulations.
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Agents found 46 undocumented laborers at the facility, accounting for around 22% of the total onsite staff, according to officials.
The DHS stated that they escorted all 46 illegal aliens into federal custody, where they are currently awaiting immigration proceedings.
Surveillance footage recorded the stressful moment as federal authorities led groups of workers into what looked to be multiple waiting vans, with the facility surrounded by a large police presence as the operation occurred.
The agency said the inspection was part of ongoing efforts to “safeguard the integrity of the supply chain, and verify that warehouse operators are adhering to all applicable security requirements.”
“DHS is committed to maintaining the highest levels of security and accountability within bonded facilities to protect both U.S. commerce and the public,” a DHS spokesperson said.
Officials did not identify the corporation that operates the facility or suggest whether the employer could face fines.
The raid comes nearly two months after federal agents carried out a similar operation at a Hyundai-LG battery factory in Georgia, detaining 475 people, primarily South Korean nationals, on suspicion of being in the country illegally, indicating a nationwide push on workplace immigration enforcement.
