U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement confirmed Friday that 17 undocumented workers were arrested during a June 11 worksite inspection at a construction site on Bethlehem’s South Side.
In a statement published on the agency’s website, ICE said the individuals — 13 from Venezuela, two from Mexico, one from Ecuador, and one from Nicaragua — were detained for immigration violations during an operation at the Five10 Flats apartment complex. The arrests occurred during a routine compliance check involving multiple federal agencies, including the FBI, DEA, IRS, ATF, and Homeland Security Investigations.
ICE said the workers were employed by a subcontractor, not directly by the property developer.
The statement’s release follows public pressure and community backlash over what some residents described as a lack of transparency surrounding the operation.
At a recent Bethlehem City Council meeting, dozens of residents and advocates criticized the arrests and accused local officials of failing to protect immigrant communities.
ICE’s public acknowledgment of the arrests marked the first formal confirmation of the incident. Before the statement, the agency had not commented on the operation, despite unmarked vehicles, tactical gear, and visible detentions at the job site.
“Ensuring worksite compliance is a fundamental responsibility of Homeland Security Investigations,” said Edward V. Owens, special agent in charge of HSI Philadelphia. “Our commitment to safeguarding public safety, national security, and economic stability is unwavering. Inspections like these are critical in targeting illegal employment practices that undermine American workers, destabilize labor markets, and expose our critical infrastructure to exploitation.”
ICE said the individuals are in federal custody pending immigration proceedings and did not respond to a request for information about where the individuals are being held.
The Bethlehem arrests are part of a broader increase in worksite enforcement nationwide. In recent weeks, ICE has conducted similar operations in California, Nebraska, Louisiana, and Texas, detaining dozens of workers and drawing criticism from immigrant rights groups and labor advocates.
ICE’s statement did not say whether the subcontractor at the Bethlehem site would face penalties or if an investigation into the employer is ongoing.
Bethlehem officials have not issued a public statement in response to ICE’s announcement.
