(Sioux Falls, SD) — Eight men detained by ICE in Madison earlier this week appeared in federal court for the first time yesterday, facing charges related to using fraudulent documents for employment. They’re accused of using fraudulent IDs to get jobs at Global Polymer and Manitou Manufacturing, a felony charge known as visa fraud. If convicted, they could face up to five years in prison, fines, and deportation. The group includes five men from Nicaragua, two from Guatemala, and one from El Salvador. Some were already ordered out of the country for past immigration violations. Tuesday’s raids were the result of an investigation that started earlier this year when a federal agent discovered suspicious employment documents at a Madison business. The men remain in custody pending preliminary hearings, which are expected to happen within two weeks.
