Suspected Aliens Arrested In Cda

Federal immigration agents arrested four alleged illegal aliens Monday at a Mexican restaurant in Coeur d’Alene.

The four male kitchen workers are being bused back to Mexico, said Robert Walker, agent-in-charge of the Spokane office of the Immigration and Naturalization Service. The four were working at the Toro Viejo restaurant, he said. The restaurant manager did not return calls Tuesday.

Walker said the agency had an anonymous tip about the workers. None were authorized to work or live in the United States, he said. Names of the four weren’t immediately available.

Under the 1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act, employers can face fines of up to $10,000 for knowingly hiring someone not authorized to work in the U.S. Walker said he’s not sure yet whether Toro Viejo will be fined.

The men were busing tables, washing dishes and cutting up food when the agents arrived, Walker said. The restaurant closed for lunch.

Walker said about 250 illegal aliens are deported each year from the Spokane and Coeur d’Alene areas. About 90 percent of those are convicted criminals, who are a priority for deportation.

, DataTimes