Southampton police and federal immigration officials have made several arrests in their quest to find a wanted illegal immigrant.

Law enforcement officers raided several homes Thursday morning in search of one individual, whose identity was not released, day laborer advocate Joaquin Mendez said. The local and federal agents arrested 12 people in all.

"After you are in the house, they questioned everybody and basically take everybody who they suspected to be here illegally," Mendez said.

According to Mendez, the majority of the dozen people arrested were released Friday.

This week's raids, along with controversy surrounding hiring sites, served to harness a climate of fear, day laborer advocates said.

The chief of the Southampton Village Police Department did not return calls seeking comment.

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