Immigration agents descended on 98 7-Eleven stores in North Carolina and elsewhere across the country Wednesday, arresting 21 people as part of the the largest illegal immigration operation under Donald Trump's presidency. The bust was part of a large-scale operation that also served as a warning to companies who may have unauthorized workers on their payroll, according to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

The 7-Eleven stores also were served notices warning against hiring illegal immigrants, and they could have their payrolls audited. Businesses that hire illegal workers are a "pull factor" for illegal immigration, ICE Acting Director Tom Homan said in a statement, and the Trump administration "is working hard to remove this magnet." "ICE will continue its efforts to protect jobs for American workers by eliminating unfair competitive advantages for companies that exploit illegal immigration," Homan said in the statement.

ICE said it began serving notices and arresting people at 6:30 a.m., temporarily shutting down 7-Eleven stores in North Carolina, as well as in Washington, D.C., California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas and Washington. ICE did not offer specifics on what stores were targeted, and who was arrested. We'll have more information as it comes in.

Wednesday's raids stemmed from a 2013 investigation that led to charges against nine 7-Eleven franchisees and managers in New York and Virginia, the Associated Press reports. Eight of those suspects have pleaded guilty and were ordered to pay more than $2.6 million in back wages, and the ninth was arrested in November. "Today's actions send a strong message to U.S. businesses that hire and employ an illegal workforce: ICE will enforce the law, and if you are found to be breaking the law, you will be held accountable," Homan said.

The 7-Eleven corporate office released a statement distancing itself from the crackdown, saying it delegates hiring practices to its franchise owners.

"7-Eleven franchisees are independent business owners and are solely responsible for their employees including deciding who to hire and verifying their eligibility to work in the United States," the company said in the statement. "This means that all store associates in a franchised store are employees of the franchisee and not 7-Eleven Inc."

In a release, ICE said it developed a comprehensive worksite enforcement strategy that targets employers who violate employment laws. This strategy incorporates the following conduct worksite enforcement: compliance, through I-9 inspections, civil fines and referrals for debarment; enforcement, through the arrest of employers, knowingly employing undocumented workers, and the arrest of unauthorized workers for violation of laws associated with working without authorization; and outreach, through the ICE Mutual Agreement between Government and Employers (IMAGE) program, to instill a culture of compliance and accountability.