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SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- Over objections from prosecutors, a US Magistrate has released four workers arrested in a Dec. 12 immigration raid to a halfway house.
Judge Samuel Alba says the men will stay there pending trials.
Federal prosecutors immediately appealed the ruling, but within an hour it was upheld by two other federal judges.
Prosecutors say releasing the men places them into the custody of US Immigration and Customs. They say ICE is likely to deport the men, allowing them to avoid prosecution.
Alba disagreed. He says deportation is unlikely. He also says prosecutors failed to prove them men are a flight risk.
The four men were among 17 people indicted by a grand jury after last week's raid on Hyrum meat processing plant. All four are suspected of selling identification documents to undocumented workers.
They have pleaded NOT guilty the charges.
(Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
