Illegal Aliens Discovered at California Navy Contractor

Eighty-six people have been found to be working illegally for a San Diego military contractor. The unauthorized workers represent more than half of the employees of a contracting company that blast cleans and paints U.S. Navy and commercial ships. The employer currently faces no criminal or civil penalties, although an investigation is pending.

Eighteen of the employees were arrested in their homes by agents of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Two of them, including one with a drug smuggling conviction, had been deported before. The rest of the unauthorized workers are still being sought by authorities. Most had received clearance to enter the U.S. Naval Station at 32nd Street in San Diego as well as other shipyards that contract with the military. All had used counterfeit drivers’ licenses, Social Security cards, and green cards to gain employment with the contractor. Most had been with the company for less than a year.

Immigration law currently requires that employers only request identification from applicants, not verify authenticity. All of the detainees are expected to be returned to Mexico or the Central American countries from which they came. None have ties to terrorism or links to “special interest” countries identified by the Department of Homeland Security as posing risks for terrorism.

Source: San Diego Union-Tribune;
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