Thread: 77 illegal aliens arrested in quad-state area

77 illegal aliens arrested in quad-state area
3/29/2007, 7:08 p.m. CT
The Associated Press


JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — A five-month long investigation culminated Thursday with the arrest of 77 illegal aliens working on construction projects in Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas and Tennessee.

Many of those arrested worked for the Greenville-based Tarrasco Steel, a statement from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said. The company, owned by Jose S. Gonzalez, has been under ICE investigation following allegations of criminal misconduct. Tarrasco Steel provides steel re-bar and employees for construction jobs.

The Massman Construction Co. was also found to have employed illegal alien workers in New Orleans.

The majority of the Tarrasco Steel employees were using unauthorized social security numbers and Gonzalez allegedly falsified information on employee eligibility forms.

The illegal aliens were working on the rebuilding of the Mississippi-Arkansas bridge in Greenville; the U.S. 90 bridge in Gulfport; the Huey P. Long bridge in Jefferson Parish, La.; the Interstate 40 Seismic retro fit in Memphis; and the Louisiana 1 bridge in Leeville, La.

At the Greenville site, 36 were arrested, and in Gulfport seven were detained. The statement said that employees allegedly did not have the proper welding certifications.

"There is serious public safety concern when illegal aliens are employed in the construction of bridges in our community," said Michael A. Holt, special agent in charge of the ICE Office of Investigation in New Orleans.

The 76 males and lone female were taken into ICE custody on federal immigration charges for failure to present documentation of authorized presence in the United States. They will be charged with being in violation of U.S. immigration laws.

ICE will seek criminal prosecution of up to 10 illegal aliens who used counterfeit or fraudulent social security information.

http://www.nola.com/newsflash/louisiana ... =louisiana

At the Greenville site, 36 were arrested, and in Gulfport seven were detained. The statement said that employees allegedly did not have the proper welding certifications.

"There is serious public safety concern when illegal aliens are employed in the construction of bridges in our community," said Michael A. Holt, special agent in charge of the ICE Office of Investigation in New Orleans.

This is a very big concern. Keep it up ICE.

Keep up the good work ICE,,,You rule.

"There is serious public safety concern when illegal aliens are employed in the construction of bridges in our community," said Michael A. Holt, special agent in charge of the ICE Office of Investigation in New Orleans.

You bet! They can't see the results of their botch jobs from mexico.

Roundup nets 36 illegal aliens at bridge site

By ELORIA NEWELL JAMES - Delta Democrat Times

Mar 31, 2007

GREENVILLE - Three dozen workers at a Greenville-based company were taken into federal custody Thursday as a part of a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) investigation.

Temple Black, public affairs officer for ICE, said a total of 77 illegal aliens working on construction projects at critical infrastructure sites in four Southern states were arrested following the culmination of a five-month long investigation.

Black said many of those arrested worked for Greenville-based Tarrasco Steel. He said 36 people were arrested at the Mississippi-Arkansas bridge.

“The company, owned by Jose S. Gonzalez, has been under ICE investigation following allegations of criminal misconduct,” Black said in his release. “ICE special agents also executed federal search warrants (Thursday) morning on the local Tarrasco Steel business office complex.”

According to ICE information, the illegal alien workforce was working on rebuilding the Huey P. Long bridge in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana; the Mississippi-Arkansas bridge in Greenville, Mississippi; the I-40 Seismic retro fit in Memphis, Tennessee; the U.S. 90 bridge in Gulfport and the Louisiana 1 bridge in Leeville, La.

“These structures are part of our nation's critical infrastructure and are closely scrutinized when it comes to security matters,” Black said. “Tarrasco Steel provides steel re-bar and employees for construction jobs. ... It has also been determined that the employees allegedly did not have the proper welding certifications.”

Black confirmed that the local company has been under investigation.

“The Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, confirmed that the majority of Tarrasco Steel employees were using unauthorized Social Security numbers for employment,” Black said. “ICE obtained copies of payroll records for the employees for verification of the employees' status in the United States and to substantiate the allegations of criminal misconduct. Gonzalez allegedly falsified and altered information on the I-9 Employee Eligibility Forms.”


Officials said the alleged actions could also affect public safety.

“There is a serious public safety concern when illegal aliens, who are not authorized to work in the country legally, and who do not possess valid welding certifications, are employed in the construction of bridges in our communities,” said Michael A. Holt, special agent in charge of the ICE Office of Investigations in New Orleans. “While there is no reason to believe that these individuals had ill intent against our country, they could have, because of their illegal status, been susceptible to blackmail from individuals wanting to hurt Americans. ICE will continue working tirelessly to identify those who are working illegally at our nation's critical infrastructure sites.”

Black said 76 males and one female were taken into ICE custody on federal immigration charges for failure to present documentation of authorized presence in the United States. He said they will be charged with being in violation of U.S. immigration laws and will remain in ICE custody awaiting the outcome of their cases.

In addition to Tarrasco Steel, the Massman Construction Company was found to have employed illegal alien workers in New Orleans.

Black said ICE will be seeking criminal prosecution of up to 10 illegal aliens who used counterfeit or fraudulent Social Security information. The cases will be presented to the U.S. attorneys' offices in the Northern District of Mississippi, the Western District of Tennessee, and the Eastern District of Arkansas. Each respective U.S. attorney will consider other possible criminal charges that may arise from the identification of the illegal aliens.

John Hailman, spokesman for the U.S. attorney for Northern District of Mississippi, confirmed that his office had been involved in the investigation. However, Hailman referred all calls to ICE.

Black said the investigation into Tarrasco Steel's alleged criminal misconduct continues. He said ICE will also be looking at whether the Massman Construction Co. knowingly hired illegal aliens.

“Critical infrastructure protection (CIP) investigations are generally predicated upon the threat to national security posed by unauthorized workers employed in critical infrastructure-related facilities,” he said. “The goal of CIP investigations is to reduce the vulnerabilities of the nation's critical infrastructure and key assets to future terrorist attacks.”

ICE has defined critical infrastructure as systems and assets, whether physical or virtual, that are so vital to the United States that the incapacity or destruction of such systems and assets would have a debilitating impact on security, national economic security, national public health or safety, and/or any combination of those matters.

Holt commended several agencies including the Lake Village Police Department and the Chicot County Sheriff's Department for their outstanding cooperation.

The Greenville Police Department and the Washington County Sheriff's Department officials said they were not notified of the investigation or arrests.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement was established in March 2003 as the largest investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security.

ICE is composed of four integrated divisions that form a 21st century law enforcement agency with broad responsibilities for a number of key homeland security priorities.


http://www.ddtonline.com/articles/2007/ ... /news2.txt

ICE will seek criminal prosecution of up to 10 illegal aliens who used counterfeit or fraudulent social security information.

What about the other 67?