U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), supported by the Texas Department of Public Safety and U.S. Marshals Service, conducted a worksite enforcement operation on June 4, resulting in the arrest of 25 individuals at construction sites in South Padre Island and Brownsville, Texas.
"Today’s arrests reflect ICE’s unwavering commitment to upholding the integrity of our immigration system and protecting our nation’s workforce. Individuals who violate federal immigration and employment laws not only undermine fair labor standards but also pose potential security and safety risks. ICE will continue to work with our partners to identify and investigate those who disregard the law and exploit our country’s systems for personal or commercial gain,” stated Craig Larrabee, ICE Homeland Security Investigations San Antonio Special Agent in Charge.
The arrested individuals are citizens of Mexico and Honduras, awaiting removal back to their respective countries.
Federal law mandates employers verify the identity and employment eligibility of all hires through the Employment Eligibility Verification Form I-9. ICE employs the I-9 inspection program as part of its strategy to ensure compliance with U.S. employment laws, which includes addressing illegal employment practices.
ICE's worksite enforcement strategy integrates other investigative disciplines due to potential links with criminal activities such as alien smuggling, human trafficking, money laundering, document fraud, worker exploitation, or substandard wage conditions.
The public can report crimes or suspicious activity via the ICE Tip Line at 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or through an online tip form.
For further details about ICE HSI San Antonio's efforts in south and central Texas, follow them on X at @HSI_SanAntonio.
Learn more about worksite enforcement by visiting ICE’s Worksite Enforcement Investigations website.
