Workers being processed by feds after immigration raid in Lamar County

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Dozens of suspected illegal immigrants rounded up in a huge federal raid at a Lamar County trailer company on Tuesday were being processed in Oklahoma and North Texas on Wednesday.

Those workers were detained at load trail in the small town of Sumner, near Paris. Federal agents conducted the raid Tuesday morning, but spent most of the day at the facility.

FOX4 has learned some of the 160 workers arrested in the raid have been released, some on their own recognizance while others have been allowed to bond out. While agents say no criminal arrests were made, they do expect additional arrests as the investigation goes on. 

Special Agent Katrina Berger says those arrested are being thoroughly vetted.

"This is probably one of the larger single site work site operations in the last ten years,” Berger said.

Immigrants with violent criminal histories or outstanding criminal warrants will not be released.  She says they will also be looking for immigrants who have illegally re-entered the U.S. after previously being deported and some could face charges for using fraudulent immigration documents or making false claims of U.S. citizenship.

A lawyer familiar with the process says the majority of the workers in good standing that are not deemed a flight risk will likely be allowed to bond out with a promise to appear before an immigration judge in the next couple of weeks. Lawyers say it typically takes 48 hours to be screened and all of those arrested will have an opportunity to make their cases to an immigration judge to avoid deportation.        

Cristian Lopez says two of his four uncles who work at the business have been allowed to bond out and care for their families as they go through deportation hearings.            

“I'm worried about them,” Lopez said. “I don't know how that's going to work out.”

The feds are trying to determine if the company knowingly hired illegal immigrants. Agent Berger had a warning for businesses that are hiring illegal workers.

"You may have gotten away with it, but we're watching and we're coming. It's not taken lightly,” Berger said.

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