Those arrested during the raid of four McDonald's in Scottsdale, Tempe and Mesa were being held on suspicion of identity theft.
PHOENIX -- A raid targeting illegal immigration led to the arrests of 21 Phoenix-area McDonald's workers Friday, and authorities were still seeking 30 other employees as part of their investigation.
Those arrested during the raid of four McDonald's in Scottsdale, Tempe and Mesa were being held on suspicion of identity theft. It will take more time to determine whether any of them are illegal immigrants as officials suspect, said Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio.
Deputies also searched a mansion in the tony Phoenix suburb of Paradise Valley owned by Richard Coulston, who owns the restaurants, Arpaio said. Coulston was not arrested.
Deputies could be seen on local television stations swarming around Coulston's mansion, and McDonald's workers were shown crying and hugging each other.
It's a shame that Friday's arrests had to happen at the fast-food restaurant, which is "more than just a business," Arpaio said.
