Fresh Del Monte says 167 illegal immigrants found at Oregon plant

Carolyn Hileman* | June 16, 2007

A Coral Gables-based fruit and vegetable company said Wednesday it is not the focus of an inquiry that netted 167 immigrant workers at its Portland, Ore., plant for allegedly being in the country illegally.

Fresh Del Monte Produce Inc. confirmed that immigration agents had visited its Portland plant Tuesday, but said workers there were recruited and hired by a separate staffing firm, American Staffing Resources Inc.

“Fresh Del Monte does not employ this labor force,” the company said Wednesday. “Fresh Del Monte has been advised that it is not a current target of the investigation.”

The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency said the searches stemmed from an undercover operation at American Staffing and grand jury indictments against three American Staffing managers for alleged immigration, document fraud and identity theft offenses.

In the investigation begun in January, an undercover informant told managers at American Staffing that he was not legally in the United States and did not have the proper paperwork to work. American Staffing provided him a counterfeit Social Security card and later gave him fake Social Security cards and fake Resident Alien cards for others, the immigration agency said.

Based on the informant’s affidavit, a magistrate judge authorized federal agents to search American Staffing offices for evidence

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