ICE Raids Edison Warehouse

EDISON, NJ – Several people were taken into custody on Tuesday during an immigration enforcement operation at the Alba Wine and Spirits warehouse in Edison, according to immigration advocates.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents conducted the raid at the facility located at 360 Mill Road in the Heller Industrial Park. Advocates believe that Tuesday's raid in Edison is the largest the New Jersey community has seen since the start of enforcement action under the Trump administration.

According to advocates, agents entered the building, requested identification from workers, and used zip-ties to restrain people who could not provide proper documentation.

According to advocacy group New Labor, at least 20 workers were detained by ICE. During the raid, individuals were marked with red bracelets to indicate legal status and allowed to continue working. If workers failed to satisfy federal agents' requests to prove their immigration status, they were detained and put into white ICE vans, advocates said.

New Labor said several community members arrived at the warehouse, bringing documents to support their family member's status.

“ICE violently separated over 20 hardworking individuals from their families today without a warrant while they worked in a CBP bonded warehouse. Workers have a right to know whether their workplace is safe or if it holds a government contract with CBP that allows ICE agents to enter without a warrant," Amanda Dominguez, Organizer at New Labor, said.

"These workers and their families will never be the same, and now workers across our community are terrified to show up to work, wondering if their warehouse will be next."

Those in custody are being taken to detention centers in either Elizabeth or Delaney Hall in Newark, according to advocacy group Semilla Roja.

In a comment to Patch, Edison Township said the local police department was "notified that Immigration Enforcement would be in the area." However, no further information was provided.

"Our officers adhere to the current guidelines, specifically Attorney General Law Enforcement Directive No. 2018-6v2 which does not permit our police department to be involved in ICE operations," the Township said in a statement.

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