ICE Arrests 12 Illegal Aliens



U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Release:

LITTLE ROCK, Ark.– Special agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) today [Thursday] arrested nine males, two females and one juvenile male, all illegal aliens, employed by two different companies performing contract work at Camp Joseph T. Robinson Army National Guard Base.

One of the companies who hired the workers was identified as El Nopal, a dining facility contractor. The other company, contracted to do landscape work, was not immediately identified.

All of those arrested are Mexican nationals. All have been placed in removal proceedings for being in violation of U.S. immigration laws. Their immigration status makes it illegal for them to work in the United States.

At this time, none of those arrested have been identified as having worked at the base in the past.

This investigation was part of ICE's ongoing efforts to target illegal workers with access to critical infrastructure worksites around the country, such as U.S. military installations, nuclear plants, airports and seaports.

The ICE investigation revealed that the majority of the unauthorized workers used fraudulent social security and alien registration numbers to complete the required forms to obtain employment. While there is no evidence that any of the employees had terrorist ties, unauthorized workers with access to sensitive secure sites are potentially vulnerable to exploitation by terrorists, smugglers, traffickers or other criminals.

"Protecting the integrity of military facilities and other critical infrastructure sites is a crucial component of our interior immigration enforcement strategy," said Michael A. Holt, special agent-in-charge of the ICE Office of Investigations in New Orleans. "Those who use fraud or false documents to gain employment, mask not only their true identities but also their motives. ICE is shutting down this vulnerability with comprehensive initiatives in order to target illegal aliens employed at these sensitive sites and identify criminal activities by the employees or employers."

Today's arrests are part of an ongoing worksite joint investigation involving ICE and the Camp Joseph T. Robinson Army National Guard Base Provost Marshall, in conjunction with Operation Safe Cities, a local ICE initiative implemented after 9/11 to protect sensitive businesses from possible security breaches.

Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP) investigations are generally predicated upon the threat to national security posed by unauthorized workers employed in critical infrastructure related facilities. The goal of CIP investigations is to reduce the vulnerabilities of these facilities and other key assets to future terrorist attacks. Critical infrastructure has been defined 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.

Since 2003, ICE agents have audited nearly 900 companies with a link to national security. Nearly thirty percent of those companies were found to have illegal workers on their payrolls. More than half of the unauthorized workers identified during these investigations have been removed from the United States.

ICE is significantly enhancing its worksite enforcement efforts nationwide as part of its interior enforcement strategy. Already this fiscal year, ICE agents have arrested 445 individuals on criminal charges in worksite investigations and apprehended another 2,700 illegal alien workers in these cases. During the entire Fiscal Year 2005, ICE agents arrested 176 individuals on criminal charges in worksite investigations and apprehended another 1,116 illegal alien workers.

To date, there are more than 15,000 employer sites linked into the Basic Pilot Program nationwide. Interested employers are urged to call the agency’s toll-free number [888-464-4218] to obtain more information regarding the Basic Pilot Program. Employers use this employee authorization verification program to verify newly hired employees. The Internet-based system is available in all 50 states and is free to employers.

Special Agent Holt commended the Camp Joseph T. Robinson Army National Guard personnel and the Conway, Arkansas Police Department for their participation and support during the investigation.


ICE: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement was established in March 2003 as the largest investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security. ICE is comprised of five integrated divisions that form a 21st century law enforcement agency with broad responsibilities for a number of key homeland security priorities.





Monika Rued, Web Producer
Created: 5/10/2007 5:31:42 PM
Updated: 5/10/2007 5:37:34 PM

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