Bakery owners in Texas are facing felony charges after Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) raided their store and arrested eight suspected illegal immigrants. Lawful permanent residents Leonardo Baez and Nora Alicia Avila-Guel, the owners of Amy’s Bakery named in the federal complaint, admitted to knowing their employees were in the U.S. illegally. Two of the suspected illegal immigrants allegedly confirmed to HSI that the owners knew about their status and “willfully” harbored them. They are now facing charges under 8 USC 1324, the law Tom Homan repeatedly threatened to use to pursue those hiding, harboring, concealing, or aiding and abetting illegal immigrants.
In the past, federal prosecutions of business owners who hired illegal immigrants were rare. However, President Donald Trump is taking a harsher approach to illegal immigration than his predecessor. On the day he took office, Trump issued an executive order declaring an emergency on the southern border, something he promised to do during his campaign. As part of this border crackdown, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. CQ Brown visited the U.S.-Mexico border to assess troops’ progress on fortifying the border wall. Additionally, the Trump administration designated eight gangs and cartels, including Tren de Aragua and MS-13, as foreign terrorist organizations, which expands the government’s ability to act against criminal groups operating in the country.
The apprehension of the aliens was the result of a worksite enforcement action, according to the federal complaint. Post-event, the facts of the event were presented to the duty AUSA, who agreed there was sufficient cause for a complaint for harboring and accepted prosecution. This signals a shift towards increased legal action against those who knowingly employ illegal immigrants. Trump’s Department of Homeland Security is also looking to deputize IRS agents for immigration enforcement, showcasing the administration’s intense focus on cracking down on illegal immigration.
Bakery owners Leonardo Baez and Nora Alicia Avila-Guel are facing charges for “willfully” harboring suspected illegal immigrants in their store. This is a reflection of a harsher approach to illegal immigration under President Trump, who has declared an emergency on the southern border and is taking aggressive steps to fortify the border wall. Additionally, the Trump administration has designated eight gangs and cartels, including MS-13, as foreign terrorist organizations, demonstrating an expanded effort to combat criminal groups operating in the country. The shift towards increased legal action against those who employ illegal immigrants is evident in this case.
The actions against the bakery owners mark a departure from the past, where federal prosecutions of employers who hired illegal immigrants were rare. President Trump’s administration is taking a more aggressive stance on illegal immigration, with efforts to ramp up arrests and deportations of those who are in the country unlawfully. The involvement of the Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement in targeting businesses that harbor illegal immigrants showcases a new level of enforcement under the current administration. The presence of federal charges under 8 USC 1324 against the bakery owners highlights the seriousness of the offense and the consequences of knowingly employing individuals who are in the U.S. illegally.
The prosecution of the bakery owners in Texas for harboring suspected illegal immigrants is a reflection of President Trump’s hardline stance on illegal immigration. By issuing an executive order declaring an emergency on the southern border, the administration has signaled its commitment to cracking down on unauthorized entry into the country. The visit of Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. CQ Brown to the U.S.-Mexico border to assess troops’ progress in fortifying the border wall underscores the administration’s efforts to enhance security measures. The designation of gangs and cartels as foreign terrorist organizations expands the government’s capabilities to combat criminal groups operating within the country, further aligning with the administration’s strategy to address illegal immigration.
