Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents raid Harmon building
By Mindy Aguon
Published Sep 15, 2009


Several individuals were taken into federal custody after Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents conducted a search of a Harmon business this morning. The federal investigation is just one of several that are ongoing into a company that has been prohibited from doing construction work on Guam.

Federal officials aren't saying much about a raid they conducted at the Omi Building along Route 16. This morning federal agents were canvassing the three-story yellow building as well as the jungle area nearby where it appears they found several Chinese nationals. A Customs Maritime Interdiction Task Force truck brought a group of the individuals to the back of the building, where agents covered the men and appeared to be checking their physical condition. Some of the men were only wearing underwear and masks. They were later taken into custody.

Agents were also seen going through numerous boxes within the Harmon office. The Omi Building shares office space with Hua Sheng, a contractor that's been in hot water in recent months as the Guam Contractor's Licensing Board in July revoked the company's license. The company and its responsible management employee Steven Wang was prohibited from participating in any construction related projects on Guam AFTR it failed to pay civil penalties to the Department of Labor.

The Guam Contractor's License Board conducted an investigation and revoked the company's license just a few weeks after the DOL determined that Hua Sheng's H2-b workers were no longer authorized to work on Guam. The company's H-2 extension request was denied by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service.

Back wages were owed to more than two dozen of its employees, including Gu Feng Zhuan, who KUAM News interviewed in June. Zhuan said he couldn't return home to China until Hua Sheng paid him his wages. Department of Labor Alien Labor Processing and Certification Division administrator Greg Massey could not comment on whether Hua Sheng is still performing work on Guam, saying it's all part of an open investigation that he cannot comment on.

"There are two components with Hua Shang right now," said Massey. There is a wage case that is being handled by our Wage & Hour Division, and that's still ongoing and we are also looking at a whole bunch of other things. Unfortunately, I can't really comment on what those are because it's still an ongoing investigation."

Massey confirms that there are multiple agencies involved in the various investigations. When asked if Hua Sheng is using illegal aliens as construction workers, Massey responded with, "There is an active investigation, and other than that I can't really talk about the specifics."

Contractors License Board investigation supervisor Ed Zapanta confirms with KUAM News that the board has been conducting random investigations and they are aware that illegal aliens are working for Hua Sheng. Zapanta added that there are an estimated 20 workers that Hua Sheng brought to Guam that are still doing work for that company or others even though their visas have expired.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement resident agent in charge Rob Robertson did not return calls for comment.



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