Posted on 09/17/2007 9:40:51 AM PDT by Froufrou
Twelve construction workers were detained Friday at Fort Bliss because they were in the country illegally or didn't have proper work permits, officials said. The 12 were detained after Military Police and Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents interviewed 335 workers at one housing construction site, at Fort Bliss and another at Biggs Army Airfield.
The workers were required to verify their identification and employment status. ICE agents will continue the investigation into the source of the false documentation, post officials said.
Most of the workers were employed by four subcontractors -- a framing company, a drywall company, a rock-wall builder and a flooring company -- working for Balfour Beatty Construction, said Winn Maddrey, a Balfour Beatty spokesman.
Maddrey said the subcontractors are required to provide documentation of workers' immigration status to Balfour Beatty. The prospective employee must present a copy of the form certifying his documentation and personal identification before he is issued a work badge, Maddrey said.
Balfour Beatty requires its subcontractors to obtain all the required documentation, he said, and it is the subcontractor's responsibility to verify the information.
So far, he said, nearly 3,000 people have received badges for the work, which involves four neighborhoods and 1,659 units. On an average day, about 650 workers carrying Balfour Beatty badges are working at Fort Bliss, Maddrey said.
Jean Offutt said the 12 detained Friday would be turned over to ICE.
It will be up to the prime contractor for Fort Bliss housing to determine whether any action will be taken against the subcontractors, she said.
"You're taking an awful chance when you're on a federal installation and you're using illegal workers," Offutt said.
These companies should be banned from future government contracts.
While I think companies that knowingly hire illegals ought to suffer, it’s ridiculous for people to jump on the “get the company bandwagon”. IF they have SSNs and their cards and IDs appear to be in order, it is not UP to you and me as company employees when hiring to be held responsible for someone ELSE holding FORGED documents. Congress, and people around the country need to get off this trip of “blaming companies” outright. Let’s FIX the forms, and identification procedures, and make States stop giving legal drivers license to illegal aliens FIRST, THEN when we fix that, go after companies who are behaving illegally. (Unless you personally can say every document isn’t a forgery, then you need to hire people if they appear legit.)
Twelve construction workers
Such a pity that construction is now a job Americans won’t do.
Please use proper attribution when posting news articles.
You will find that the business who follow the law will not have a problem w the ID checks.
You will find that the business who want no enforcement want to hire illegals.
12 out of hundreds not clearing the ID check probably means that these sub-cons were truly trying to hire citizens and not illegals, so I would not be as harsh on these sub-cons. Lets face it 12 out of hundreds turning up illegal in El Paso means that these sub-cons did a good job checking things out...having lived in EP for years I know this is a low illegal-American citizen ratio
However, we must hold those business responsible for hiring illegals, especially when it is blatant.
In all fairness, even if the employer submitted the I-9 forms, whoever runs the checks takes awhile to do so.
The upshot is that I’m at least glad the bases are paying attention to who’s there!
why can’t they use American companies?
The Corporate Communications Department
Balfour Beatty plc
130 Wilton Road
London
SW1V 1LQ
My comment was meant for any business that hires illegals ,when they knew or should have suspected they were not citizens. If these or any company did everything that is required, of course they shouldn’t be punished. How though were these people determined to be illegal though? What did LE see that business didn’t?
I’m pretty sure these people must have a contract with the base/post. But why they aren’t someone like Brown & Root, I don’t know.
I agree. I’m really concerned about our bases. We can deal with the illegal just here for a job but terrorists on bases...
If they were after the base in New Jersey, they can just as easily be after any other base or post.
Yeah. I’m glad double checks are being done.
ping
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