ICE Nets 30+ in Southern Factory Sweep
Federal immigration authorities conducted a large enforcement operation Tuesday at a manufacturing facility in Birmingham, Alabama, detaining more than 30 workers as part of what officials described as an ongoing criminal investigation into identity fraud and unlawful employment practices.
The operation took place at Scholar Craft, a Birmingham-based manufacturing plant, where agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and state and local law enforcement executed federal search warrants.
According to ICE, the investigation focuses on allegations involving the use of fraudulent identification documents and stolen identities to obtain employment.
As agents carried out the search warrants, they encountered more than 30 employees whom officials said were unlawfully present in the United States. ICE confirmed that all of those individuals were taken into custody and are now being placed into immigration proceedings.
Authorities have not released the identities of those detained, nor have they announced whether any criminal charges have been filed against company officials or other individuals in connection with the investigation. The inquiry remains ongoing.
More Than 30 Taken Into Custody in ICE Operation at Birmingham Manufacturing Planthttps://t.co/hvAQmYitIl
— ABC 33/40 News (@abc3340) June 30, 2026
In a statement issued following the raid, ICE said the operation reflects the agency's continued effort to investigate violations involving both immigration law and employment-related fraud.
"We remain committed to working alongside our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to investigate and address violations that undermine the integrity of our nation's employment systems and immigration laws," an ICE spokesperson said.
Federal officials have increasingly emphasized workplace enforcement actions that target not only individuals who are in the country unlawfully but also broader schemes involving false documentation, identity theft, and fraudulent hiring practices. Tuesday's operation in Birmingham appears to fit within that larger enforcement strategy.
The raid also comes as the Trump administration continues to expand immigration enforcement efforts nationwide, including a renewed focus on deportations and workplace investigations.
Birmingham has become one of several cities where immigration enforcement has drawn increased public attention in recent months. Earlier this year, immigration advocates and activists organized demonstrations criticizing what they described as a growing ICE presence throughout the city and expressing concern over the administration's enforcement policies.
Among those participating in the protests was Landon Gerstmann, who argued that immigration enforcement activity has become increasingly visible across Birmingham.
"They are surrounding us slowly, like a snake, like an anaconda, like a restrictor," Gerstmann said, claiming that reports of ICE operations have become a near-daily occurrence in the city.
Supporters of the administration's approach argue that workplace enforcement actions help protect the integrity of the legal employment system by addressing identity fraud and ensuring that employers comply with federal immigration laws. Critics, meanwhile, contend that such operations create fear within immigrant communities and can have broader effects on families and local workplaces.