U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has arrested eight illegal aliens and their employers during a workplace raid at a Texas bakery.
In a joint operation with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), ICE agents raided Abby’s Bakery in Los Fresnos, Texas — a border town in the Rio Grande Valley. There, they arrested eight illegal aliens that had been working at and living in the bakery, and the business owners are now facing federal charges for their actions.
According to federal authorities, the owners of Abby’s Bakery both admitted that they had been aware of the fact that their employees were illegal aliens and still allowed them to work and live on the property.
NEW: ICE & HSI in the RGV conducted a worksite operation at a bakery in Los Fresnos, TX, arresting 8 illegal alien employees and charging the owners with federal felonies for harboring & aiding the illegal aliens via 8 USC 1324. This is the law Tom Homan has been repeatedly… pic.twitter.com/GZNgikx672
— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) February 21, 2025
An HSI special agent has released a legal document revealing that the illegal aliens arrested at Abby’s Bakery had confirmed that the business owners, Leonardo Baez and Nora Alicia Avila-Guel, were fully aware of their legal status.
Baez and Avila-Guel will be charged with violating 8 U.S. Code 1324, which the Department of Justice (DOJ) defines as: “Encouraging/Inducing — Subsection 1324(a)(1)(A)(iv) makes it an offense for any person who — encourages or induces an alien to come to, enter, or reside in the United States, knowing or in reckless disregard of the fact that such coming to, entry, or residence is or will be in violation of law.”
Anyone found guilty of violating that law could face fines and imprisonment for up to ten years for each violation.
This is an action that the vast majority of Trump supporters, and even a few Democrats, have been demanding for some time — pointing out that it is essential in the effort to discourage illegal immigration, as illegal aliens are incentivized to come to the U.S. to obtain jobs. Thus, arresting employers could prove to be a deterrent.
Columnist Auron MacIntyre pointed out in a post on X: “I can’t express how important this is. The end of illegal employment is the end of illegal immigration, but no politician was willing to go after employers because that’s where donations come from Monumental shift.”
I can’t express how important this is
The end of illegal employment is the end of illegal immigration but no politician was willing to go after employers because that’s where donations come from
Monumental shift https://t.co/w1UmsWAh2Z
— Auron MacIntyre (@AuronMacintyre) February 21, 2025
Meanwhile, some social media users called for an even harsher penalty for Baez and Avila-Guel — pointing out that they are both green card holders, and should have their permanent residency revoked.
One user wrote: “the bakery owners are green card holders/permanent residents, thus, ‘not US Citizens,’ and have violated the law, so their permanent residency can be revoked. You have to set example.”
@RealTomHoman @Sec_Noem, the bakery owners are green card holders/permanent residents, thus, “not US Citizens,” and have violated the law, so their permanent residency can be revoked. You have to set example.
— Loren Karkip (@LKarkip) February 21, 2025
