ICE Raid Takes 46 Shipping Facility Employees Into Custody, Reports Say

WOODBRIDGE, NJ - Federal authorities took into custody 46 people who were in the country illegally during a Wednesday inspection at a container freight station in Woodbridge's Avenel section.

The group represented approximately 22 percent of the facility's onsite workforce, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

The location operates under a customs bond with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, which allows for inspections.

"The operation is part of DHS' ongoing efforts to ensure compliance with customs and immigration regulations, safeguard the integrity of the supply chain, and verify that warehouse operators are adhering to all applicable security requirements," the agency told News12 in a statement.

CBS New York identified the locations as the Savino Del Bene warehouse on Englehard Avenue. The Avenel site serves as the U.S. headquarters for the company, which also has a location in Swedesboro.

All 46 individuals will be held in DHS custody pending immigration proceedings, authorities said. "DHS is committed to maintaining the highest levels of security and accountability within bonded facilities to protect both U.S. commerce and the public," the agency told NJ.com.

State Senator Joe Vitale, Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin and Assemblywoman Yvonne Lopez, all Democrats who represent Middlesex County, criticized the operation.

"We are proud of the diversity of voices and communities that call the 19th District home and the many hard-working families and individuals that contribute to the towns we represent," the three lawmakers said in a joint statement. "And we understand that a shared sense of community trust and commitment to fairness, due process and the rule of law is essential to the fabric of those very same communities."

They added: "As legislators, we know that no one individual is above the law and all immigration procedures must be followed properly, especially in respect to individual rights. Our state and district are at their best when dignity and justice are upheld for all and we remain committed to ensuring that the diverse families and residents we cherish can continue to live in the communities they love without fear."

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