By Sam Quinones, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
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More than 200 U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents fanned out across the Valley, Palmdale and other areas of the county, raiding residences and arresting members of 15 street gangs, officials said.

Among them was Jorge Torres, 31, a reputed member of the Project Boys in Pacoima whose criminal record includes convictions for drug charges as well as battery on a police officer, officials said. Torres, who has been deported five times, has been indicted by the U.S. attorney’s office for reentering the United States.

If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison.

“The people targeted in these operations are career criminals who often prey on members of the immigrant community,” said Robert Schoch, special agent in charge of ICE in Los Angeles. “We want to send a clear message to foreign national gang members that ICE intends to deal strongly with those who ignore our immigration laws and place our neighborhoods at risk.”

Friday’s sweep was part of the agency’s ongoing crackdown on illegal immigrants with suspected gang affiliations in the Valley.

Of the 28 people arrested Friday, 21 were undocumented and seven had legal-residency status, which is now being revoked, Schoch said.

L.A. Times reporting the story without a slant? Progress indeed.
How about some employer enforcement news…

Oldham County landscape owner pleads guilty to employing illegal aliens
Owner paid illegal aliens less than legal workers; forfeits $147,000
LOUISVILLE, Ky. -

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The same former employee stated that during his/her employment with Dean Hedges, he/she had several discussions with Hedges about completing Employment Eligibility I-9 Forms on the company’s employees. Hedges indicated he was not worried and “would just pay a fine” if he were ever caught by authorities. The former employee indicated that some I-9 forms were completed for documented workers, but not for illegal alien employees.

As part of the investigation, ICE agents executed a federal search warrant Sept. 24 at Hedges Landscape Specialists. During the execution of the search warrant, ICE agents arrested 12 illegal alien workers from Mexico who have all been placed in deportation proceedings.

The maximum potential penalties for the corporation is a $250,000 fine, and the maximum potential penalties for Hedges are a $24,000 fine and six months imprisonment or up to five years probation. Hedges has also agreed to forfeit $147,000 seized from his corporate bank accounts.

Credit the ex-employee who turned in his former employer as well as Assistant U.S. Attorney Madison T. Sewell, for agreeing to prosecuted the case. Something tells me Hedges just learned an expensive lesson.