Immigration Officials Arrest 16 in Saratoga Springs
Description:
Federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials are declining to confirm or deny whether 16 men arrested in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., earlier this week on immigration violations had employment connections to the city's Thoroughbred racetrack.
ICE spokesman Khaalid Walls, based in Detroit, said June 2 that the agency is still investigating the matter and won't comment beyond a written statement that confirmed the arrests made May 30.
Rick Violette Jr., president of the New York Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association, said the preliminary information is that the men did not work at the track.
"As far as we know, the short answer is no," Violette said Friday afternoon.
Foreign workers are a major presence in backstretch jobs during Saratoga Race Course's summer meet. Violette stressed that the issue of foreign labor is one many industries beyond racing are confronting. President Donald Trump has strongly supported enforcement crackdowns on illegal immigration and the number of H-2B seasonal worker visas awarded this year has been reduced.
On the evening of June 1, Saratoga Springs mayor Joanne Yepsen said she "absolutely" respects the federal government's authority to take action. But in a written statement, according to the Saratogian, the mayor added that she has a concern "that we are a community that relies significantly on the hospitality and racing industry workforce."
The mayor added that a new city task force is working to raise awareness on a number of fronts "including the immigration process and why it's so difficult.''
Walls, in a written statement, said 16 "unlawfully present foreign nationals" were arrested Tuesday and that they are now in the Albany County Jail. The men are between the ages of 19 and 49. One is from Guatemala and 15 are from Mexico. Nine of the men face possible federal felony charges for re-entering the United States after being deported for alleged visa fraud.