April 19, 2007

23 illegal aliens arrested in West Burlington, Iowa; 18 are criminally charged with using fraudulent documents

WEST BURLINGTON, Iowa - U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) special agents this morning executed criminal arrest warrants here at Iowa Prestressed Concrete, resulting in the arrest of 23 illegal aliens.

Eighteen of those arrested have been criminally charged by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Iowa with possessing and fraudulently using documents, and misusing Social Security numbers. Five additional suspected illegal aliens were arrested on administrative immigration charges. Twenty-two men were arrested at Iowa Prestressed Concrete; one man was arrested at a Burlington residence.

Acting on a lead received in February, ICE agents conducted an investigation and determined that a number of employees working at Iowa Prestressed Concrete had presented fraudulent immigration and social security documents to obtain employment.

Managers at Iowa Prestressed Concrete, located at 122 Broadway in West Burlington, fully cooperated with this investigation. The company has not been charged with any crime.

"Today's arrests demonstrate our commitment to aggressively pursue all persons involved in document fraud," said Michael Vail, resident agent in charge of ICE in Cedar Rapids. "Document fraud threatens the integrity of our nation's legal immigration system, and it poses a very real security threat to our country. We will continue to work in partnership with the U.S. Attorney's Office to bring offenders to justice."

ICE officers transported those arrested on criminal charges to Davenport, where they will make initial appearances this afternoon in the U.S. District Court, Southern District of Iowa. After they complete their criminal proceedings, including any sentences that may be imposed, the defendants who are illegally in the United States will be returned to ICE custody and placed in deportation proceedings.

The five aliens arrested on administrative immigration violations were transferred to the Cedar Rapids ICE office for processing this afternoon; they will be scheduled for a hearing before a federal immigration judge, who will make the final determination as to whether they are to be deported.

With any criminal case, a charge is merely an accusation; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

The Social Security Administration's Office of Inspector General, the Des Moines County Sheriff's Department, the West Burlington Police Department, and the Burlington Police Department assisted ICE in today's enforcement action.

-- ICE --

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was established in March 2003 as the largest investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security. ICE is comprised of five integrated divisions that form a 21st century law enforcement agency with broad responsibilities for a number of key homeland security priorities.

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