An illegal immigrant from Honduras assaulted federal agents during a large-scale ICE raid on a meat processing plant in Omaha, Nebraska, on Wednesday, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) reported.
The suspect allegedly brandished a weapon and attacked officers as they executed a federal warrant at Glenn Valley Foods, where over 70 illegal immigrants were ultimately detained, according to ICE officials.
“Yesterday, an illegal alien from Honduras brandished a weapon and assaulted federal agents and officers who were doing their job — protecting American citizens, the public, and businesses who are being victimized through identity fraud,” ICE Acting Director Todd Lyons said in a statement.
Lyons strongly rejected the notion that this individual was merely “out of status.”
“This wasn’t just someone ‘out of status.’ This was a violent criminal who attacked law enforcement,” he said. “When you break the law by entering illegally and then threaten and assault federal officers on top of that — you’re a threat, plain and simple.”
ICE reported that the raid resulted in the detention of more than 70 individuals, many of whom already had prior deportations, outstanding local warrants, or DUI convictions.
Several of those detained now face additional federal charges, including:
Fraud and misuse of visas, permits, and other documents
Assaulting a federal officer
Resisting arrest
Illegal reentry
Misuse of Social Security numbers
ICE Homeland Security Investigations Kansas City Special Agent in Charge Mark Zito praised the agents involved and pushed back against rhetoric that he says is endangering communities and law enforcement.
“Our ICE agents and officers — along with our federal partners — put their lives on the line every day to protect the American public,” Zito said. “The reckless rhetoric being thrown around doesn’t just insult their sacrifice, it actively puts communities at risk, undermines law enforcement, and emboldens those who wish to do harm.”
Though ICE did not detail exactly how agents were assaulted, protesters who had gathered outside the plant during the raid jumped on the bumper of an ICE vehicle and threw rocks as a bus carrying detained workers departed the facility.
Company President Blames Flawed Government System
Chad Hartmann, president of Glenn Valley Foods, expressed surprise at the raid, telling the Associated Press that his company uses E-Verify — a government-run system — to check the immigration status of all employees.
“Why us?” Hartmann said. “We do everything by the book.”
According to Hartmann, ICE agents at the scene told him that the E-Verify system is broken.
“What am I supposed to do with that?” Hartmann asked. “This is your system, run by the government. And you’re raiding me because your system is broken?”
In the aftermath of the raid, Douglas County Commissioner Roger Garcia posted on Facebook that community response groups had been activated to support affected families.
“We are telling friends and allies to standby momentarily as we continue to gather and verify information and coordinate proper guidance for families affected,” Garcia wrote.
Garcia also noted that safe spaces were being organized and legal representation was being coordinated for those detained.