Latin American Herald Tribune
November 14, 2011
SAVANNAH, Georgia — A Georgia couple accused of harboring illegal aliens for commercial advantage and then laundering the proceeds was arrested Friday following an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Internal Revenue Service’s (IRS) Criminal Investigations Division and the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office.
Hugo Diaz, 43, and Blanca Diaz, 42, of Evans, Ga., appeared in federal court Monday after being indicted last week by a federal grand jury. The indictment also charges four of the illegal aliens with unlawful entry into the United States.
U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia Edward J. Tarver said, “The federal government’s immigration enforcement responsibilities are an important priority for the Department of Justice. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to enforcing all federal criminal laws and criminal immigration laws are no exception. This investigation clearly shows the ability of federal and local law enforcement agencies to work together to achieve justice and to thwart those whose goal is to profit from criminal activity.”
Brock D. Nicholson, special agent in charge of HSI for Georgia and the Carolinas, said that one of his agency’s “top priorities in worksite enforcement investigations is to hold employers accountable for exploiting illegal alien labor. Companies that break our employment laws for financial gain drive illegal immigration into the United States and deprive our nation’s lawful workforce of employment opportunities.”
The Emergency Election Sale is now live! Get 30% to 60% off our most popular products today!