Twelve illegal immigrants were discovered riding in a van in Osceola County this week. The Osceola County Sheriff’s Department says the vehicle was stopped on highway 59 north of Melvin on Tuesday night due to a faulty license plate lamp. Authorities found the 12 illegal workers in the van owned by D-and-H Poultry of Sibley. The van was driven by Daniel Gruis of Melvin.
The sheriff’s department says Gruis and the 12 illegals are all employed by D-and-H. The 12 passengers in the van are residents of Mexico, and the sheriff’s department says they’re in the U.S. illegally. The Mexicans, nine men, one woman, and two teenage boys, weren’t identified. They were taken by immigration officials to Sioux City for processing. They will either be returned to Mexico or could go before an immigration judge if they believe they have a right to remain in the U.S.