(CN) - Nearly 80 businesses in northern California were raided by federal immigration officers on Thursday. The Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency was looking for proof that employees at the businesses were legally allowed to work in the U.S.
The San Francisco Chronicle reported that a total of 77 businesses in the Bay Area and Sacramento were raided this week. The ICE operation represents the largest workplace sweep since President Donald Trump took office.
No immediate arrests were made in the sweep. Affected businesses were given notices of the sweep, as well as three days to reply to the government agency.
According to NBC, business owners were given the notices Monday through Wednesday.
In an interview with the San Francisco Chronicle, Los Angeles immigration attorney Angelo Paparelli with the firm Seyfarth Shaw LLP said the operation's speed and coverage was significant.
“Serving 77 notices of inspection on different employers in the last three days within a single area of responsibility, in this case, San Francisco, appears unprecedented,” Paparelli said.
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