300 Illegal Workers Arrested at Wal-Marts

Thursday, October 23, 2003

(3:12 PM ET)

By Suzanne Gamboa

Associated Press Writer

“We are currently trying to understand the scope and detail of the investigation. We are talking to (ICE) and are committed to cooperating with them.”

WASHINGTON -- AP
Federal officials arrested more than 300 illegal workers at 60 Wal-Mart stores across the country early Thursday morning and searched the office of one of the retail chain's corporate executives, a federal official said.

Several law enforcement sources who spoke on condition of anonymity said the investigation grew out of earlier probes of Wal-Mart cleaning crew contractors in 1998 and 2001. Based on recordings of meetings and conversations among Wal-Mart executives, managers and contractors, the law enforcement officials said ``various immigration violations had continued to occur with direct knowledge by the Wal-Mart corporation.''

The workers, members of cleaning crews that the company hired through contractors, were arrested as they finished their night shifts at stores in 21 states. All were in the country illegally, according to Garrison Courtney, a spokesman with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., based in Bentonville, Ark., is the world's largest retailer.
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2003 © The Associated Press.

Dan