SAN DIEGO (KGTV) -- More than two dozen people were taken into custody during an ICE raid on a popular Korean grocery store in Clairemont Mesa Wednesday.
According to the agency, the raid happened at a Zion Market on the 7600 block of Clairemont Mesa Boulevard.
ICE said in a news release that 26 people working at the market were found to be in the U.S. without authorization.
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All 26 were temporarily taken into custody before being released pending the outcome of their immigration cases, ICE said.
The operation is part of an ongoing worksite enforcement investigation that started during an employment verification audit.
“Worksite enforcement operations and investigations are important for strengthening public safety and national security, while eliminating worker exploitation, child labor and other illegal practice within the workforce,” said David Shaw, special agent in charge of HSI in San Diego.
In 2018, Homeland Security Investigations opened nearly 7,000 worksite investigations compared to 1,691 in 2017.
