×

Trucker stunned to arrive at major immigration enforcement action

SALEM — One truck driver attempting to make a delivery to the Salem Fresh Mark Inc. meat packing plant on Tuesday afternoon said he called ahead to see if there was a door for him to back his rig into.

The person he called advised the driver, (who spoke under a condition of anonymity), that Homeland Security Investigations ICE (Immigration Customs Enforcement) agents were at the plant and saying, “Homeland Security is here and asking us to leave the building.”

The driver said he was told federal officers were there “to vet every person in the plant.”

As he arrived at the plant, “A woman from in the plant pulled up with a union representative advising “they’re vetting the whole plant.”

A helicopter hovered overhead while Salem police and the Columbiana County Sheriff’s Office posted officers at every entrance and exit.

At the south entrance, a deputy sheriff turned vehicles away by saying no one was allowed on the property.

“The plant’s under complete lock down,” he said.

The truck driver had to turn around inside the south gate off of South Lincoln Avenue and observed armed ICE personnel on the premises along with Fresh Mark employees.

After arriving at 5 p.m. and leaving the premises still carrying a full load, the driver calculated “at least three hours minimum” before he would be able to offload his delivery.

He turned onto Snyder Road and pulled into Adele’s Place for a bite to eat and to contemplate his disrupted work day.

He said the thing about the raid in Salem was “if they find any illegals” the next place they’ll go is to the Canton and Massillon Fresh Mark plants.

At the time he said that, employees in the three plants in Canton and Massillon were also being served warrants.

lshields@salemnews.net

NEWSLETTER

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *
   

Starting at $4.39/week.

Subscribe Today