Inside ICE: Volume 2, Issue 11

ICE Arrests Illegals Working on Navy Planes

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — ICE agents, working with the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, arrested nine aliens working illegally at the Smith-Reynolds Airport, where they were employed by a company sub-contracted to refit U.S. Navy P-3 Orion reconnaissance and anti-submarine patrol aircraft.

Eight of the men arrested are citizens of the United Kingdom. One man was from New Zealand. The aliens entered the country under the United States' visa waiver program, which allows citizens of certain countries to use their passport to enter for short business or pleasure stays. They entered the country through various international airports.

All were employed at the airport by Aerospace Manufacturing, Inc. The aliens are known to have actually performed work on the U.S. Navy aircraft. Aliens are prohibited from accepting employment while here on a visa waiver.

"This incident greatly concerns us,given the fact that in March we arrested 27 aliens illegally working at another North Carolina airport," said ICE Resident Agent-in-Charge Tom O'Connell. "ICE is committed to ensuring that access to critical infrastructure such as the aviation industry is restricted to authorized personnel and that vulnerabilities in the immigration system are not exploited."

All of the aliens were detained and placed into removal proceedings for violations of the visa waiver program. ICE intends to revoke the visa waiver status of each alien and remove them from the country.

The arrests are part of ICE's ongoing effort to protect critical national infrastructure. These arrests are also part of Operation Tarmac, which focuses ICE’s authorities on protecting the nation’s airports. To date, ICE special agents have conducted investigations at about 200 airports nationwide and audited more than 5,800 businesses. More than 5,800 unauthorized workers have been identified, more than 1,100 unauthorized workers have been arrested and 775 criminal indictments have been issued.

ICE Arrests 95 Gang Members

MS-13 Gang Member on ICE Most Wanted List

ICE Arrests Illegals Working on Navy Planes

ICE Nabs Man Wanted for Child Rape

ICE Seizes 1,300 Fake Badges, Warns Public

ICE Opens Newest, Largest Detention Facility

ICE Nabs Criminal Alien Fugitive Guarding Philly Government

ICE Arrests Haitian Man Who Admitted Human Rights Abuse

US-VISIT Achieves Big Results in Protecting U.S. Homeland

Fake Badges and More

Receive the latest ICE newsletter twice a month right to your inbox. Simply enter your information below.

Inside ICE is an e-newsletter produced by the ICE Office of Public Affairs to inform the public about the mission, operations and activities of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Please send comments and contributions to Russ Bergeron, Editor.

425 I St NW
Washington, D.C. 20536
Attn: Office of Public Affairs
Russ Bergeron, Editor
Phone: 202-514-2648
Fax: 202-514-1776
Russ.Bergeron@dhs.gov