HOUSTON -- A group of people rallied in downtown Houston Thursday. They were protesting ICE’s raid of an East Houston business, Action Rags USA Wednesday morning.

Agents arrested 166 of the 186 employees. They say that all but 20 workers were here illegally.

Those who protested the action are angry because many of those arrested were single women with children.

“We will not stand for working class families to be separated and we will not stand for the immigrant community to be more under attack,” said one protester.

But ICE says that no mothers nor fathers were separated from their children.

“Some organizations are spreading false rumors to accommodate their own agendas,” said Bob Rutt with ICE.  “I want to assure you that today’s operation was conducted professionally and with all those encountered were treated humanely with dignity and respect.”

ICE released 73 people who had medical problems or were sole care providers. About 70 of those detained were women.

Health care professionals and paramedics were on site to help anyone who was hurt.

ICE agents even allowed parents to make phone calls.

“In all cases ICE agents took exceptional measures to ensure minor children were not left unaccompanied and at home by themselves,” said Rutt.

So while organizers attracted over a hundred people to listen to claims of ICE’s inhumanity, federal agents defend Wednesday’s raid as safe and humanitarian.