Texas Bakery Owners Arrested For Allegedly Housing And Employing Illegal Workers

Federal agents conducted a raid at a bakery in Los Fresnos, Texas, arresting the owners for allegedly employing and sheltering illegal immigrants in an apartment connected to their business. The operation by Immigration and Customs Enforcement led to the detainment of eight workers and felony charges against bakery owners Leonardo Baez and Nora Alicia Avila-Guel. Authorities allege the couple knowingly hired workers who lacked legal employment authorization and provided them with living quarters next to their bakery. According to testimony, at least two workers told investigators the owners were fully aware of their illegal status before hiring them.

While under questioning, Baez and Avila-Guel allegedly admitted they had long expected a federal raid. Their attorneys argued that providing housing was not a criminal act, but the judge dismissed this claim and ordered each of them to post a $100,000 bond.

During the raid, officials discovered an apartment inside the business with six beds lined against a wall, two bathrooms, and no kitchen. Windows were reportedly covered with cardboard. A judge ruled that the conditions and the owners’ actions met the federal standard for harboring illegal immigrants.

ICE confirmed that all eight workers remain in federal custody and will be deported. The agency emphasized that this operation is part of a broader effort to crack down on employers violating immigration and labor laws.

Los Fresnos, located near the US-Mexico border, has been a focal point for immigration enforcement, with federal officials ramping up worksite investigations.

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR