U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), in collaboration with the U.S. Border Patrol's Gulfport Station and the Drug Enforcement Administration Gulfport, executed a worksite enforcement operation at Gulf Coast Prestress Partners, Ltd. in Pass Christian, Mississippi.
During the operation, ICE Gulfport served a Notice of Inspection and an immigration subpoena to the company. While agents were processing paperwork and interviewing employees, they observed several individuals attempting to flee from the premises. A total of 18 individuals were apprehended by agents during this attempt.
An immigration inspection revealed that these individuals were citizens of Mexico, Guatemala, and Honduras. Among them, two had pending immigration court dates and valid work authorization; they were subsequently released. Additionally, one juvenile Mexican national aged 16 was identified during the operation. ICE took measures for overnight monitoring of the juvenile before transferring custody to the Office of Refugee Resettlement.
Federal law mandates that employers verify both identity and employment eligibility for all hires using Form I-9 documentation. The I-9 inspection program is part of ICE's broader strategy aimed at ensuring compliance with U.S. employment laws through inspections—a key tool used by federal authorities.
The agency’s approach to worksite enforcement also involves utilizing other investigative methods since such investigations may uncover additional criminal activities like alien smuggling, human trafficking, money laundering, document fraud, worker exploitation, or substandard wage and working conditions.
