Concerns brew in the horse racing industry amid recent ICE raid at Louisiana racetrack

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Federal immigration agents arresting more than 80 people who were in the country illegally at a Louisiana racetrack is raising concerns in the horse racing industry.

The operation happened at Delta Downs Racetrack. Out of the more than 80 people, at least two people had prior criminal records.

"It sent shock waves through all the tracks across the country," Peter Ecabert, an attorney for the Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association, said.

The HBPA represents thousands of horse owners and trainers.

"The vast majority is that these folks here either with documentation or without are hard workers, they're good people, they're not criminals, they go to work every day and work basically 24/7 on the backside of the racetrack," said Ecabert.

The topic also came up the week of the Kentucky Derby, when thoroughbred trainer Dale Romans spoke on behalf of backside workers.

"I've worked with immigrant workers my whole life, and I've never seen people under the stress they're going through right now over the last six months," Romans said back in May.

Ecabert said stables try to make sure workers are here legally and work hard to help them get H-2B visas. When he spoke about this two months ago, Romans said that's not always easy.

"It's cumbersome, it's difficult, it's difficult to stay legal and it's hard to plan for the future because every year you're reapplying every 10 months, you're applying for new visas and there's no guarantee that you're going to get them," he said.

Ecabert said no one wants criminals in the horse racing industry, but he doesn't want to put horses at risk.

"If someone slips through the cracks and they are a felon on the run, we're not going to stop ICE from doing that, we don't want to stop anything from doing that, we just want to make sure it's done orderly and doesn't put our horses at risk," he said.

Ecabert is also telling owners and trainers only to grant ICE access if they show a valid warrant.

WDRB has reached out to Churchill Downs and Keeneland but haven't heard back yet.

With no body or weapon, the circumstantial case against Brooks Houck begins Tuesday

Brooks Houck, Joseph Lawson moved to Bowling Green for Crystal Rogers murder trial

New Albany grocery store sells winning Powerball ticket worth $50,000