Immigration raids have shown remarkable increment in workplace since 9/11.

It has been 15 months since Michael Bianco Inc. federal immigration raid brought New Bedford in spotlight throughout the nation.

And during the same period hundreds of illegal workers have been arrested in similar raids, throughout the country by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement Officers.

On March 6, 2007, a total of 361 illegal workers that comprised mainly of women from Central America were arrested at Bianco factory. A large number of the detainees were deported back after spending several months in prison and some of them were provided legal status in the country. The rest are waiting for the decision on their fate.

The raid at Agriprocessors Inc., Postville on the twelfth of May was a massive achievement as a majority of people caught there faced criminal charges for the act of identity theft and false use of the Social Security Number. Besides the increase in workplace raids there is also an increase in the number of arrests of illegal immigrant at traffic stops and home raids. Frederick Q. Watt, the immigration attorney at New Bedford said that the climate for the undocumented workers is not the same as it was three or fours years ago.

On her visit to Boston last march the ICE chief Julie L Meyers said that the goal of the agency is to decrease the amount of illegal immigrants by getting after those employees who hire these illegal workers. According to the agency statistics ICE has made a total of 850 criminal arrests in the year 2008. To be specific 75 of those arrested included company owners, company’s supervisor or representatives of human resources. The remaining 775 arrested were undocumented employees.

Replying to a query as to another New Bedford type raid can be expected or not, immigrant advocates said that it is possible, if not likely.