Federal immigration officials have arrested 46 people in Anne Arundel County on illegal immigration charges.

County police chief James Teare says search warrants were executed at an Annapolis painting business and 15 homes where employees lived early Monday.

» view the affidavits and search warrants

ABC 7 Project Immigration correspondent Andrea McCarren reports the suspected illegal immigrants worked for the largest painting contractor in the area, which had contracts to paint the State House and the U.S. Naval Academy. McCarren reported if illegal workers were on the job as authorities allege, tax dollars could have been paying them.

The painting business, Annapolis Painting Services, was raided as well as 15 homes owned by the business' owner. At the house where two men were taken into custody, one from El Salvador and the other from Mexico, family members were distraught. One worker's wife said she was five months pregnant. His brother insisted he had a legal visa to work in the United States, but one source said his papers had expired.

The owner of the paining business is under investigation and could face felony charges for employing the alleged illegal immigrants. "Seized today were documents, bank accounts, vehicles, and properties," Scot Rittenberg with ICE said.

"We hope this is a deterrent, this is a message, that you can not employ illegal aliens in Anne Arundel County," said Teare. He said the immigrants worked as painters and are being detained by the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency.

At the owners home, a lawyer answered the door. Nearby, a neighbor said she was stunned. "No comment. I don't know what to say. He's a friend of ours. Wow. Um wow," Beth Green said.

County Executive John Leopold says 50 county police officers worked with 75 ICE officials in the investigation. ICE was reportedly investigating the business for 18 months.