Federal authorities confirmed Thursday that 46 undocumented workers were detained during a large-scale Department of Homeland Security (DHS) operation at a freight facility in Avenel, New Jersey, on Wednesday.
In a statement to Fox News Digital, DHS said law enforcement teams carried out an inspection at a federally authorized Container Freight Station as part of an ongoing initiative to ensure compliance with immigration laws.
According to officials, agents discovered that roughly 22 percent of the warehouse’s workforce — 46 individuals — were undocumented. All were taken into federal custody and are now awaiting immigration proceedings.
Surveillance video reportedly showed federal officers escorting groups of workers into waiting vans, with a significant law enforcement presence securing the area during the operation.
The agency emphasized that the inspection was part of its continued efforts to “safeguard the integrity of the supply chain and verify that warehouse operators are adhering to all applicable security requirements.”
“DHS is committed to maintaining the highest levels of security and accountability within bonded facilities to protect both U.S. commerce and the public,” a spokesperson said.
Officials have not released the name of the company operating the facility or indicated whether the employer will face penalties.
The raid follows a similar enforcement action nearly two months earlier at a Hyundai-LG battery plant in Georgia, where federal agents detained 475 individuals — mostly South Korean nationals — suspected of being in the country illegally. The back-to-back operations suggest a broader national focus on workplace immigration enforcement.
