A two-year investigation into immigrants with false identity documents led federal authorities to detain 48 workers at a metal foundry in South Carolina. Officials announced on Thursday that six individuals face state charges, including two senior executives of the plant.
On Wednesday, dozens of federal and local law enforcement officers raided Burnstein von Seelen Precision Castings in Abbeville. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents detained workers for alleged immigration violations. The plant manager and the company’s human resources director were arrested for knowingly employing immigrants in the United States without legal authorization, stated state Attorney General Alan Wilson at a press conference.
“We want to send a message that this is not about targeting people trying to feed their families,” Wilson said. “It’s about targeting a much larger conspiracy across South Carolina to impersonate identities and create false Social Security cards, false driver’s licenses, false immigration documents.”
A state grand jury formally charged the company’s executives, along with four other individuals, accused of manufacturing and selling false federal and state IDs using information obtained through identity theft.
Executives from Burnstein von Seelen did not respond to phone or website messages at the time. The two company executives are expected to appear in court in Richland County, Columbia, on Thursday to face charges of criminal conspiracy and identity fraud for employment. It is unclear whether they had lawyers to address the accusations.
Founded in 1985, Burnstein von Seelen is a metal foundry company using various copper, brass, and bronze alloys to manufacture components, according to its website. It is located in Abbeville County with about 25,000 residents, in western South Carolina near the Georgia border and approximately 145 kilometers (90 miles) west of Columbia.
ICE officials stated they are reviewing the immigration status of the 48 detained workers, among whom were individuals previously encountered by the agency and some with deportation orders.
The investigation continues, and authorities suggested the possibility of more formal charges and arrests. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of South Carolina is seeking more information on the detention of immigrant workers and expressed skepticism about the government’s initial statements regarding the ICE operation.
“In summary, these employees showed up for work, and many will not return home to their families,” stated Jace Woodrum, the group’s executive director. “We have seen similar actions in other states that include serious violations of individual liberties guaranteed to everyone, regardless of immigration status.”
State authorities launched the inquiry in October 2024. Initially, local public safety officials were frustrated by the lack of federal actions against false IDs and identity theft under former President Joe Biden, Wilson said. This changed when President Donald Trump took office last year and federal authorities joined the state investigation, he added.
The plant raid on Wednesday was not typical of Trump’s mass deportation efforts, which have faced criticism. Immigration raids at businesses have been a relatively small part of the deportation campaign, with state authorities playing a significant role in the South Carolina investigation.
Authorities pursued the investigation similarly to drug inquiries, stated prosecutor Creighton Waters, targeting not only the individuals using false documentation but also those supplying it.