Illegal Aliens Captured Working at Hard-Target Facilities

Jim Kouri, CPP

Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents have arrested 60 illegal aliens who performed contract work at 12 critical infrastructure sites, including seven petrochemical refineries, three power plants, a national air cargo facility, and a pipeline facility located in six different states.

The arrests, which represent the latest action in ICE’s ongoing efforts to protect so-called hard targets nationwide, took place in California, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Texas. There is no evidence that any have terrorist ties or were engaged in a terrorist plot.

All the individuals were employed by Brock Enterprises, a company in Beaumont, Texas, that provides contract workers to facilities nationwide associated with the petrochemical industry, the nuclear industry, and other energy sectors. Brock Enterprises is cooperating fully with ICE and is not a target of the ongoing investigation. It is believed that many of these illegal workers presented fraudulent documents to Brock Enterprises in order to gain employment.

While ICE agents arrested all the individuals on administrative immigration violations, some could face potential federal criminal charges, if applicable, for violations that include re-entering the United States after deportation and use of fraudulent documents to gain employment. All of those arrested are from Mexico, Guatemala and Honduras.

“The aliens arrested in this operation had access to sensitive critical infrastructure locations and therefore pose a serious homeland security threat. Not only are their identities in question, but given their illegal status, these individuals are vulnerable to potential exploitation by terrorist and other criminal organizations,” said according to one ICE official. “These arrests demonstrate how ICE is using immigration laws to remove potential threats to some of the nation’s most sensitive facilities.”

The investigation began in March 2005, when ICE agents in Tampa, Fla., received information that certain contract employees working at the Crystal River Nuclear Power Plant in Citrus, Florida, were illegal aliens. ICE agents subsequently arrested six illegal aliens performing maintenance work at the nuclear power plant. All were employees of Brock Enterprises of Texas. At least one of these individuals was later indicted on criminal charges for re-entering the country after deportation.

ICE agents in Tampa coordinated their investigation with ICE agents in Houston and Beaumont, Texas, who performed an inspection of Brock Enterprises to review employment records. The ICE audit revealed discrepancies involving an unspecified number of Brock Enterprises employees. ICE agents found that these employees were serving as contract workers at refineries, power plants, and other critical infrastructure locations around the country.

In furtherance of the case, ICE agents arrested 60 illegal aliens who performed contract work at the locations listed below. There is no evidence of any wrongdoing on the part of any of the companies that own the targeted refineries, power plants, and other facilities.

the Centerpoint Energy Power Plant in Jewett, Texas – 10 individuals
the Lagloria Oil & Gas Company Refinery in Tyler, Texas – 2 individuals
the Lyondell-Citgo Refinery in Houston, Texas – 20 individuals
the Phillips-Borger Refinery in Borger, Texas – 6 individuals
the Valero Houston Refinery in Houston, Texas – 1 individual
the Valero-Texas City Refinery in Texas City, Texas – 3 individuals
the Conoco-Phillips Refinery in Wilmington, California – 8 individuals
the Reliant Energy-Ormund BCH Power Plant in Oxnard, California – 2 individuals
the Sunoco, Inc., Refinery in Tulsa, Oklahoma – 5 individuals
the Entergy-Gerald Andrus Power Plant in Greenville, Mississippi – 1 individual
the Federal Express Air Cargo Facility in Memphis, Tennessee – 1 individual
the Gulf South Pipeline Company in Monroe, Louisiana – 1 individual


Over the past few years, ICE agents have conducted several nationwide operations designed to remove illegal aliens found working at some of the nation’s most sensitive worksites, including airports, nuclear power plants, chemical plants and defense facilities.

At US commercial airports alone, ICE has identified more than 5,800 unauthorized airport workers, arrested more than 1,100 unauthorized alien workers, and obtained 775 criminal indictments.

Sources: National Association of Chiefs of Police, National Security Institute, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

Jim Kouri, CPP is currently fifth vice-president of the National Association of Chiefs of Police. He's former chief at a New York City housing project in Washington Heights nicknamed "Crack City" by reporters covering the drug war in the 1980s. In addition, he served as director of public safety at a New Jersey university.  He's also served on the National Drug Task Force and trained police and security officers throughout the country.   He writes for many police and crime magazines including Chief of Police, Police Times, The Narc Officer, Campus Law Enforcement Journal, and others.   He's appeared as on-air commentator for over 100 TV and radio news and talk shows including Oprah, McLaughlin Report, CNN Headline News, MTV, Fox News, etc.  His book Assume The Position is available at Amazon.Com, Booksamillion.com, and can be ordered at local bookstores.