More than 100 undocumented immigrants were arrested Thursday at Tallahassee construction sites, including at an apartment project near Florida State University, according to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
State and federal law-enforcement officers handcuffed construction workers and loaded them into vans before taking them away from the site near the university. Most of the building under construction, called Perla at the Enclave, is set to be apartments for FSU students.
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A news release on the Immigration and Customs Enforcement website said several law-enforcement agencies were involved in the sweep. It said one person was taken into custody for resisting arrest and was being charged with four counts of assault on law-enforcement officers.
"These types of enforcement actions aim to eliminate illegal employment, holding employers accountable and protecting employment opportunities for America's lawful workforce," Nicholas Ingegno, assistant special agent in charge of Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations Tallahassee, said in a prepared statement.
But Larisa Cladakis, who works near the apartments being built for students, opposed the raid. "Whether they (the arrested workers) are documented or not, they are human," she said. "And the fact is that they are literally working. They are building the houses that people are living in."
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