U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents have arrested 60 undocumented
workers who performed contract work at 12 industrial plants, including seven
petrochemical refineries, three power plants, a national air cargo facility,
and a pipeline facility located in six different states.
The arrests took place in California, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Tennessee,
and Texas.
All the individuals were employed by Brock Enterprises, a company in Beaumont,
Texas, that provides contract workers to facilities nationwide associated with
the petrochemical industry, the nuclear industry, and other energy sectors.
The agency says Brock Enterprises is cooperating fully with the agency and is
not a target of the ongoing investigation.
The agents arrested the 60 individuals on administrative immigration violations.
All of those arrested are from Mexico, Guatemala, and Honduras.
"The aliens arrested in this operation had access to sensitive critical
infrastructure locations and therefore pose a serious homeland security threat,"
says Michael J. Garcia, assistant secretary for U.S. Immigration and Customs
Enforcement.
ICE agents in Tampa coordinated their investigation with ICE agents in Houston
and Beaumont, Texas, who performed an inspection of Brock Enterprises to review
employment records. The ICE says its audit revealed discrepancies involving
an unspecified number of Brock Enterprises employees. There is no evidence of
any wrongdoing on the part of any of the companies that own the targeted refineries,
power plants, and other facilities, the agency says.
Link