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Agents Arrest 2 Illegal Immigrants For Using False Documents

By: KENNETH DEAN, Staff Writer May 24, 2005

Two illegal immigrants have been arrested for using false documentation to obtain work with a Tyler refinery during a sweep across six states that netted 58 other undocumented immigrants at what Homeland Security officials deem "critical infrastructure sites."


The arrests stemmed from an investigation that led Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to Brock Enterprises, a Beaumont-based company that provides contract workers to facilities nationwide associated with the petrochemical and nuclear industry and other energy sectors.

Michael Garcia, Department of Homeland Security assistant secretary, said the arrests are the latest action in ICE's efforts to protect critical infrastructure facilities. He added the arrests were made at 12 locations, including seven petrochemical facilities, three power plants, a national air cargo facility and a pipeline.

Two of the 60 men arrested were working at Delek Refining Ltd., formerly La Gloria Oil & Gas Co. refinery, and they remain in custody at this time. No additional information was available.

Fred Green, Delek vice president of refining, said the two Brock employees were picked up late last week. One was able to obtain verification that he was not an illegal immigrant and has since returned to work.

"We don't have information here at the refinery on the investigation of the other gentleman, but he has not come back to work," Green said.

Green said the Tyler refinery has 22 Brock employees. They primarily perform insulation work, asbestos abatement, grounds keeping and custodial jobs.

Green also said non-contract employees hired by the refinery are given a thorough background investigation.

Brock Enterprises officials failed to respond to repeated calls by the Tyler Morning Telegraph on Tuesday.

Garcia said those arrested were from Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico and ICE agents have not uncovered any evidence showing they had terrorist ties or were part of any terrorist plot.

"These aliens arrested in this operation had access to sensitive critical infrastructure locations and therefore pose a serious homeland security threat. Not only are their identities in question, but given their illegal status, these individuals are vulnerable to potential exploitation by terrorist and other criminal organizations," he said.

Garcia said Brock Enterprises is cooperating with the federal agency and is not a target of an ongoing investigation.

The immigrants were arrested on administrative immigration violations, but some could face federal felony charges.

"It is believed that many of these workers presented fraudulent documents to Brock Enterprises in order to gain employment," he said.

The companies where the immigrants were working had no knowledge of their status as citizens and are not under federal scrutiny.

At CenterPoint Energy in Jewett, 10 were arrested; at Lyondell-Citgo refinery in Houston, 20 taken into custody; Phillips-Borger refinery in Borger, six arrested; Valero Houston refinery, one arrested; Valero in Beaumont, three arrested; Conoco-Phillips refinery in Wilmington, Calif., eight arrested; Reliant Energy power plant in Oxnard, Calif., two arrested; Sunoco refinery in Tulsa, five arrested; Entergy-Gerald Andrus power plant Greenville, Miss., one arrested; Federal Express air-cargo facility in Memphis, one arrested; Gulf South Pipeline Co. in Monroe La., one arrested.

Garcia said since 2003, the ICE has identified more than 5,800 unauthorized airport workers, arrested more than 1,100 unauthorized alien workers and obtained 775 indictments just in commercial airports across the nation.

"These arrests demonstrate how ICE is using immigration laws to remove potential threats to some of the nation's most sensitive facilities," he said.

Business Editor Greg Junek contributed to this report.

Kenneth Dean covers police, fire, public safety organizations, Cherokee and Rusk counties. He can be reached at 903.596.6353. e-mail: news@tylerpaper.com


©Tyler Morning Telegraph 2005