Thread: 18 illegal workers arrested

18 alleged illegal workers arrested

By Manuella Libardi
Updated 11:46 am, Monday, April 13, 2015

Federal, state and local law enforcement agencies arrested 18 undocumented aliens last week who were reportedly working under false identities at various refineries, industrial plants and shipyards in Jefferson, Galveston and Liberty counties, the U.S. District Attorney's Office reported Monday.

A federal grand jury indicted the individuals April 2, charging each of them with either illegal reentry after deportation, identity theft and/or making false claims of U.S. citizenship to obtain jobs over the past six years, according to a news release.

The undocumented individuals were allegedly working under bogus names and fraudulent social security numbers and birth certificates issued primarily in Puerto Rico, the release states.

The individuals were able to be issued ID cards from Louisiana, Arkansas, Texas and other states using those documents, which passed the E-verify systems that employers use to ascertain U.S. citizenship or alien lawful work permits, the office reported.

The documents even allowed some of the individuals to obtain Transportation Worker Identification Credentials, giving them access to ports and other sensitive work sites.

Homeland Security was able to identify the individual because they'd been previously deported. One of them was deported after a felony drug conviction, the release states.

If convicted of the charges, the individuals face up to 20 years in federal prison and deportation.

http://www.beaumontenterprise.com/ne...ed-6196442.php

I.C.E. News Release

DOCUMENT AND BENEFIT FRAUD

04/13/2015

18 illegal aliens arrested in east Texas using false identities to gain employment

BEAUMONT, Texas — Eighteen illegal aliens were arrested last week for using false identities to gain employment, announced U.S. Attorney John M. Bales, Eastern District of Texas.

This investigation is being conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) offices in the following Texas cities: Beaumont, Houston and Galveston. The following agencies also participated in this investigation: U.S. Marshals Service, Social Security Administration’s Office of Inspector General, U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, and the Texas police departments of Beaumont and Port Arthur.

On April 7 and 8, a combined task force of federal, state and local law enforcement arrested 18 illegal aliens working under false identities at various oil refineries, industrial plants and shipyards in the Texas counties of Jefferson, Galveston and Liberty.

A federal grand jury returned 18 indictments April 2 charging each individual with either illegal re-entry after deportation, identity theft, and/or making false claims of U.S. citizenship to obtain jobs at numerous oil refineries, industrial plants and shipyards within the past six years.

"The ability to work in the United States serves a major lure to those who come to this country — legally and illegally,” said Brian M. Moskowitz, special agent in charge of HSI Houston.

“Those who use illegal means to enter and work in the United States must understand that their criminal actions come with a price."

The 18 defendants, who are in the United States illegally, were all allegedly working under assumed names obtained by possessing fraudulently obtained but legitimate social security numbers and matching birth certificates, primarily issued in Puerto Rico.

Using these documents and primary identifying information, the defendants obtained state-issued identification cards from Louisiana, Arkansas, Texas and other states.

Using these fraudulently obtained documents allowed these illegal aliens to pass the E-verify systems used by their employers to ascertain U.S. citizenship or lawful alien work permits. These documents also allowed some individuals to obtain Transportation Worker Identification Credentials permitting them access to ports and other sensitive work sites.

HSI determined the actual identities of several of the aliens because they had been previously deported. One of the aliens arrested during this operation was previously deported after a felony drug conviction. Fifteen other aliens were identified after being arrested under their assumed names.

If convicted of the charges, the defendants face up to 20 years in federal prison and deportation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert L. Rawls, Eastern District of Texas, is prosecuting these cases.

An indictment is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

https://www.ice.gov/news/releases/18...ain-employment

Employers are going to have to use better judgment that just relying on E-Verify to protect the integrity of their work force and the safety of their operations.

“Those who use illegal means to enter and work in the United States must understand that their criminal actions come with a price."

That would apply to every illegal alien in the United States, so why haven't they all been arrested, imprisoned and deported? Why do we still have 20 million or more of these people in our country with the President of the United States, at least 12 states and DC, and half of Congress protecting them at the expense and peril of US citizens?

4/19/2015

http://www.alipac.us/f12/puerto-rica...grants-318953/