'Doing her best': ICE agents mass-arrest illegal employees at 'family-owned' manufacturer in North Carolina

The Donald Trump administration has clamped down on illegal employment, and it seems the simple enforcement of existing law has been enough to cripple businesses relying on undocumented labor.

It was only for a brief moment that the administration showed leniency to employers in the farming, hospitality, and restaurant industries, with a Department of Homeland Security memo telling Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in June to put raids on those industries on the back burner. However, the White House quickly ended any such leniency and reversed the policy just days later.

The result has been a steady flow of employers getting a lesson in hiring practices and the consequences of illegal labor.

'She's just at work doing her best at what she can do.'

Homeland Security Investigations and ICE executed a search warrant last week and found dozens of illegal workers employed at what is likely considered a reputable business in Kings Mountain, North Carolina, population 11,142 as of 2020.

Buckeye Fire Equipment Company was the target, a fire extinguisher and fire-protection product manufacturer that boasts itself as "family-owned and operated" and "made in the U.S.A. since 1968."

It turned out many of Buckeye's employees were not family members after federal authorities arrested 30 people on site as a result of their initial investigation.

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According to an ICE press release, the operation specifically focused on allegations of aggravated identity theft and "potential federal crimes."

Employee Eric Pinion shared video from inside the raid to local outlet Queen City News and told the news station the facility was "half empty" and "dead silent" when he went in for his shift after the raid.

Pinion also said he was afraid, despite being a citizen, because he had heard that citizens had been apprehended by ICE previously; he did not get arrested.

Family members of those who were arrested were reportedly spotted picking up cars from the Buckeye parking lot, with one employee's daughter saying her parent is a "single mother, [who is] trying to raise two kids on her own."

"She's just at work doing her best at what she can do," the young woman told Queen City News. Her mother was later released after a few hours of being detained.

RELATED: After ICE removes illegal workers, job applicants flood meatpacking plant to replace them

HSI said it will continue to pursue those who exploit financial and identification systems for their personal gain, which it says "fuels a range of criminal activity."

Blaze News reached out to Buckeye Fire Equipment Company for comment on the story as well as how the company plans on replacing its staff.

The company's LinkedIn page lists it as having between 201 and 500 employees, with ZoomInfo stating there are 278 employees. If the latter is correct, Buckeye will have to replace about 11% of its staff with legal workers.

Recently, a Nebraska company lost upwards of 76 employees to a federal raid but immediately had its waiting room filled with potential employees, putting a dent in the long-fabled claim that American workers do not want to take on certain jobs.

Buckeye Fire Equipment Company did not respond to a request for comment.

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