MEXICO CITY, Aug. 8 (Xinhua) -- U.S. immigration authorities arrested 107 undocumented Mexican immigrants in coordinated raids at several food processing plants in the U.S. state of Mississippi, a senior Mexican official said on Thursday.
"Our consuls are currently helping 107 Mexicans who were arrested yesterday (Wednesday)," Foreign Affairs Minister Marcelo Ebrard said in a statement.
"They are going to receive legal support," Ebrard added.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents arrested a total of 680 undocumented immigrants at the plants in what was being called one of largest workplace raids in history.
Those arrested were unable to provide documents verifying their status as residents or temporary workers.
Mexican consular personnel in different U.S. cities, including New Orleans and Houston, were providing the detained with legal advice, the ministry said.
Lawyers would help those with a chance to legalize their status, at least temporarily, the ministry added.
Meanwhile, the government said it would offer assistance to the Mexicans who were repatriated to find employment or seek healthcare.
According to the Pew Research Center, about 4.9 million undocumented Mexicans live in the United States, mostly in California, Texas and Illinois.
