Washington, D.C.- Yesterday, federal agents conducted a sting operation that resulted in the arrest of 48 illegal aliens employed as contract workers at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in Goldsboro, N.C. The arrests follow similar investigations in recent months that have uncovered illegal workers at other military installations and facilities. In June, federal agents arrested 26 illegal aliens at the Northrop Grumman shipyard in Pascagoula, Miss., where the Coast Guard’s new “national security cutters” and the Navy’s next-generation ships are being built. In May, nine illegal aliens were arrested working at a Winston-Salem, N.C., facility that refits the P-3 Orion aircraft, the Navy’s primary anti-submarine patrol aircraft. In March, federal agents arrested 57 illegal immigrants working at other sensitive facilities including a nuclear plant in Iowa, Greensboro’s Piedmont-Triad International Airport and Boston’s Logan International Airport.

Third District Representative Walter B. Jones issued the following statement regarding the arrests:

“I commend the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, the Air Force Office of Special Investigations, the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General and the Johnston County, N.C., Sheriff’s Office for working together to uncover the illegal aliens arrested in this raid.”

“However, these arrests illustrate the extent to which illegal immigration threatens America’s security. We know that over 16,000 illegal aliens stream across our southern border each week. We now also know that illegal aliens have successfully infiltrated our military bases, nuclear facilities and airports. The Administration and members of Congress on both sides of the aisle have got to get serious about cutting off the flow of illegal immigrants coming into our country. The longer we wait to address this problem, the greater the risk to American lives and security.”

For additional information or to schedule an interview with Congressman Walter B. Jones please contact Kathleen Joyce at (202) 225-3415.