Undocumented workers at Zion Market in Kearny Mesa were taken into custody Wednesday while special agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations executed a federal search warrant at the business.
ICE spokeswoman Lauren Mack said many of the 26 individuals detained during the operation were released before evening, although she could not confirm whether all of the workers were released from custody.
“The intent was they would be detained and released today pending the outcome of their immigration case,” Mack said.
Zion Market front manager Yongho Jun said a small group formed outside the large Korean supermarket in opposition to the ICE enforcement action.
“There were about five to six people and they held a sign saying ‘human rights,’” said Jun. He said someone from the group also left information for how people could find out about their legal rights and report immigration enforcement activity to a 24-hour hotline.
“Many of our employees need this information from this flyer now,” said Jun.
The group was from the San Diego Rapid Response Network, a coalition of human rights and service organizations, attorneys, and community leaders that help immigrants understand their legal rights.
“The San Diego Rapid Response Network was called at 9:30 a.m. about the raid at Zion Market,” according to a statement by Kate Clark of the group. “As SDRRN does with all calls, dispatchers went on-site to the activity and hand out information to workers. SDRRN is providing emergency preparedness sessions to impacted families tomorrow.
Jun said he believed the employees detained were mostly Asian and Hispanic.
“All I know is that they arrested 26 from here earlier today and now we are really, really busy. They arrested our workers,” Jun said.
David Shaw, the HSI special agent in charge for San Diego, said the target of the investigation was the employer and not the employees.
“Honestly, if we didn’t encounter any employees, it wouldn’t make a difference for our case,” said Shaw. “Our case is based on the employer.”
Shaw said the execution of the federal search warrant was the culmination of a year-long investigation, but the employer had not yet been arrested or charged.
“One of the things we’re trying to do, obviously, is protect U.S. jobs, but it’s also a national security issue,” said Shaw.
The investigation began with an audit of the company’s I-9 forms — workplace documents that whether someone is eligible to work in the U.S., he said. The special agent emphasized his unit focuses on criminal investigations.
“So, if someone is smuggled into the country, and all of the sudden you pay me $10,000 to get into the country and now you don’t have the $10,000, well, now, guess what? I’m going to make you work, so it becomes a trafficking case too,” Shaw said.
ICE spokeswoman Mack said the Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) arm of the agency also assisted with the operation.
In 2018, HSI opened 6,848 worksite investigations compared to 1,691 in 2017, according to a news release about the operation.
The Zion Market is located at Clairemont Mesa Boulevard near Convoy Street.
