100 workers seized in U.S. raids freed

Dozens of illegal immigrants arrested in last week's meatpacking plant raids have been released for humanitarian reasons pending immigration hearings, a government official said Friday.

About 100 have been released from detention centers, many to care for children or ailing relatives, since the Dec. 12 federal raids on Swift & Co. meatpacking plants in six states, Immigrations and Customs Enforcement spokesman Jamie Zuieback said. Many were released the day of the raids, she said.

She wouldn't specify what other criteria the agency used to determine whether workers should be released for humanitarian reasons.

In all, about 1,300 workers were arrested in the raids.

Detained workers were asked if they had minor dependents, Zuieback said.

Tim Counts, an ICE spokesman, said about two dozen workers were released from the Worthington, Minn., plant the day of the raid. About 25 workers at the Greeley, Colo., plant were released, as were 27 workers from the Grand Island, Neb., plant, all of whom either had dependent children or were pregnant, he said.

He didn't know how many had been released for humanitarian reasons since the day of the raid or how many were released from plants raided in Cactus, Texas; Marshalltown, Iowa; and Hyrum, Utah.

"It was decided on a case-by-case basis," Counts said. "Those people who were released on their own recognizance still must be required to appear (before an administrative immigration judge)."

A phone message left Friday seeking comment from Swift & Co. was not immediately returned.