OH Meat Packing Company Fined $4 Million Over Illegal Alien Hiring, Identity Theft [WATCH]

An Ohio-based meat processing company, Fresh Mark Incorporated, has been ordered to pay a nearly $4 million penalty following an identity theft scheme that enabled the hiring of illegal aliens.

The scheme, which also involved obstruction of justice, was uncovered through a multi-year investigation by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

Between 2013 and 2018, HSI agents arrested numerous employees from Fresh Mark facilities.

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Yelwin Omar Munoz-Solis, a hiring manager at Fresh Mark’s Salem plant, conspired with others to steal the identities of U.S. citizens to provide jobs for illegal aliens.

Munoz-Solis also certified I-9 documents, which are used to verify identity and employment eligibility in the United States.

Munoz-Solis was later charged and pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit aggravated identity theft and making false statements on immigration forms.

The investigation culminated in a significant enforcement action on June 19, 2018, when Homeland Security Special Agents executed search warrants at Fresh Mark facilities in Salem, Massillon, and Canton, Ohio.

The operation, which involved nearly 100 Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers and agents, resulted in the detention of 146 illegal aliens working at the facilities.

Of those detained, approximately 30 individuals faced immigration violation charges in federal court.

Officials described the raid as the largest worksite enforcement operation conducted during the first Trump administration.

At the time, the HSI Special Agent in Charge for Michigan and Ohio emphasized the importance of cracking down on businesses that exploit illegal labor.

“Unlawful employment is one of the key magnets drawing illegal aliens across our borders. Businesses who knowingly harbor and hire illegal aliens as a business model must be held accountable for their actions,” the agent stated.

Following the raid, investigators uncovered the extent of the identity theft scheme, which allowed hundreds of illegal aliens to secure employment at Fresh Mark facilities.

Meat Packing Company Fined $4 Million Over Illegal Alien Hiring, Identity Theft in Ohio…

An Ohio-based meat processing company, Fresh Mark Incorporated, has been ordered to pay a nearly $4 million penalty following an identity theft scheme that enabled the hiring of illegal… pic.twitter.com/Aztr9JVRWn

— RVM News (@redvoicenews) January 5, 2025

U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio Rebecca Lutzko condemned the company’s actions, stating, “Stealing identities to transfer to others not eligible to work is not an acceptable business practice. Employers must ensure that their hiring practices comply with all federal laws, and businesses caught providing false statements to the government will be held to account.”

Fresh Mark agreed to pay a $3,719,997 penalty under the settlement and must adhere to compliance reporting requirements for two years.

The penalty funds will be directed to the federal Crime Victims Fund, in accordance with the Victims of Crime Act Fix to Sustain the Crime Victims Fund Act of 2021.

The Fresh Mark case underscores the Trump administration’s focus on workplace enforcement as part of its broader immigration strategy.

During Donald Trump’s first term, large-scale worksite raids were a key element of border security efforts.

Tom Homan, President-Elect Trump’s pick for Border Czar, has indicated a renewed emphasis on such actions in the upcoming administration.

In an October 2024 interview with CBS’s 60 Minutes, Homan said worksite enforcement will be a critical component of border security and efforts to curb illegal immigration.

I love Tom Homan. Having worked for 3 administrations he knows the causes and effects of a secured border vs an unsecured border. He loves America and is absolutely disgusted by Joe and Kamala’s open border and what they have allowed to happed. Millions of unvetted illegals.… pic.twitter.com/7sDIApwDcY

— ❤️‍ ❤️‍ (@DameScorpio) November 2, 2024

In contrast, President Joe Biden scaled back workplace enforcement raids after taking office, marking a significant policy shift.

However, with Donald Trump’s return to the White House in January 2025, workplace raids and mass deportations are expected to resume.

The Fresh Mark case serves as a reminder of the legal and financial consequences businesses face when engaging in unlawful hiring practices, as well as the ongoing debates over immigration enforcement in the United States.

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