32 illegal workers arrested at Boeing supplier
ARLINGTON - Federal agents arrested 32 workers at a Snohomish County aircraft manufacturing plant on immigration violations Thursday morning.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents executed a federal civil search warrant at Aerospace Manufacturing Technologies Inc., a supplier of frame and interior parts for commercial and military aircraft. The company provides parts used in many popular airplanes, including the Boeing 737 and Boeing 777.
The unauthorized workers included 30 foreign nationals from Mexico and two from El Salvador. The group includes 16 men and 16 women.
All of those arrested Thursday are being interviewed, fingerprinted and photographed by federal immigration agents and processed for removal from the United States.
As a result of the interviews, four of the illegal workers, all women, were released initially on humanitarian grounds, pending future immigration proceedings. The 28 workers remaining in federal custody will be held at the Northwest Detention Center in Tacoma.
Thursday's enforcement action comes after an audit of Aerospace Manufacturing Technologies' employment records led agents to believe a small percentage of the company's employees used counterfeit documents to secure their jobs.
At this time, there is no evidence the company was aware the arrested workers had used false credentials to gain employment. The investigation is ongoing.
"Today's enforcement action is part of (an) ongoing nationwide effort to shut down the employment magnet fueling illegal immigration," said Leigh Winchell, special agent in charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's office of investigations in Seattle.
"Every job held by an illegal alien is a job taken from a U.S citizen or legal resident of this area," he added.
The immigration agency has set up a local phone number, (206) 553-5657, for family members of the arrested workers to call with questions about their relative's detention status and the removal process.
So far in fiscal year 2008, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents have made more than 3,700 administrative immigration arrests in connection with worksite enforcement investigations, including 850 involving criminal violations.
In fiscal year 2007, the agency made more than 4,900 arrests in connection with worksite enforcement investigations, including 863 involving criminal violations.
Thursday's operation is part of the immigratiob agency's worksite enforcement effort focusing on critical infrastructure and security sensitive sites.
Aerospace Manufacturing Technologies Inc. is registered with the U.S. Department of State's Director of Defense Trade Controls, which oversees the export and import of certain products that can be used for national defense purposes.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents executed a federal civil search warrant at Aerospace Manufacturing Technologies Inc., a supplier of frame and interior parts for commercial and military aircraft. The company provides parts used in many popular airplanes, including the Boeing 737 and Boeing 777.
The unauthorized workers included 30 foreign nationals from Mexico and two from El Salvador. The group includes 16 men and 16 women.
All of those arrested Thursday are being interviewed, fingerprinted and photographed by federal immigration agents and processed for removal from the United States.
As a result of the interviews, four of the illegal workers, all women, were released initially on humanitarian grounds, pending future immigration proceedings. The 28 workers remaining in federal custody will be held at the Northwest Detention Center in Tacoma.
Thursday's enforcement action comes after an audit of Aerospace Manufacturing Technologies' employment records led agents to believe a small percentage of the company's employees used counterfeit documents to secure their jobs.
At this time, there is no evidence the company was aware the arrested workers had used false credentials to gain employment. The investigation is ongoing.
"Today's enforcement action is part of (an) ongoing nationwide effort to shut down the employment magnet fueling illegal immigration," said Leigh Winchell, special agent in charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's office of investigations in Seattle.
"Every job held by an illegal alien is a job taken from a U.S citizen or legal resident of this area," he added.
The immigration agency has set up a local phone number, (206) 553-5657, for family members of the arrested workers to call with questions about their relative's detention status and the removal process.
So far in fiscal year 2008, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents have made more than 3,700 administrative immigration arrests in connection with worksite enforcement investigations, including 850 involving criminal violations.
In fiscal year 2007, the agency made more than 4,900 arrests in connection with worksite enforcement investigations, including 863 involving criminal violations.
Thursday's operation is part of the immigratiob agency's worksite enforcement effort focusing on critical infrastructure and security sensitive sites.
Aerospace Manufacturing Technologies Inc. is registered with the U.S. Department of State's Director of Defense Trade Controls, which oversees the export and import of certain products that can be used for national defense purposes.