ICE detains, deports seven immigrants at truck stop in Louisiana

CADDO PARISH, La. (KTAL/KMSS) — On Sunday, the U.S. Immigration Customs Enforcement Agency detained and deported seven alleged illegal immigrants from a truck stop in Louisiana.

The alleged illegal immigrants were detained in Hosston, a small town in Northwest Louisiana with an approximate population of 500. One resident said the individuals were taking jobs from other locals.

“I think they could have gone to people who lived around in this neighborhood, ’cause they close and most need jobs around here,” said Hosston resident Marcus Pather.

However, the Mayor of Hosston says the truck stop employs many locals.

“I personally know that the truck stop had a workshop. I have personally probably gotten at least ten people that I know of a job at this truck stop. This truck stop employees not only people from Hosston, Mira, Ida, Rodessa, Gillum, Vivian and Blachard,” Mayor Kimberly Jayness.

The truck stop developer said immigration issues are changing fast with the new administration, and they fully thought the employees were legal to work.

The controversy has been ongoing for the last three commission meetings revolving around tax breaks for the T&A Truck Stop. Louisiana State Representative Danny McCormick confirmed the investigation in a letter to Caddo Commissioner Chris Kracman.

The Hosston ICE raid followed an inquiry by Caddo Commissioner Chris Kraccman, who questioned a local member of the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness.

According to the letter written by Louisiana State Representative Danny McCormick, Representative Jay Galle, Chairman of Homeland Security, said, “It appears that these individuals were found to be in violation of federal immigration laws, prompting action by ICE.”

Commissioner Kracman of District 1 has been opposing two tax break measures that would impact the small T&A Truck Stop. He wrote a letter to Representative Danny McCormick, who allegedly knows of someone at Homeland Security.

Jimmy Silvio, one of the owners of T&A Truck Stop, believes his business was targeted.

“My understanding is that the guys, one or two of them had work permits. They all had alien numbers. I mean, so we just assumed, obviously, that they were vetted by, you know, immigration. So, you know, that’s basically it,” said Jimmy Silvio, one of the owners of T&A Truck Stop.

Silvio willingly cooperated with Homeland Security, and the agent briefly spoke to him on the phone, saying, “He just wanted to grab them and go.”

“So I talked to the guy who was in charge, and he just said they were tipped off. You know, somebody made a call. So we had to come up here, which is kind of strange for a town with a population of about 500 people to get, you know, rural areas.”

The owners have not received any documentation regarding the seven immigrants.

We contacted U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement; however, they were unavailable to comment.

This is a developing story. Tomorrow, we’ll explore the ICE raid, which the mayor feels is responsible for alerting and bringing the federal law enforcement agency to town.

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