MOBILE — Leaders of the Gulf of America Homeland Security Task Force gathered on Wednesday to release more details on an immigration raid on the site of the new Gulf Shores High School.
Although authorities initially reported 37 people suspected of illegal immigration were arrested on Tuesday, they corrected that number to 36 people.
Federal authorities received a tip that some of the construction workers on the site were illegal aliens. They said once they arrived on the scene, "it turned into instant chaos."
Several people jumped into two vehicles and plowed through a fence on the property at a high rate of speed, investigators said.
"Throughout the time that we were on scene, a very chaotic scene, we had a group supervisor from the Drug Enforcement Administration who was assaulted in the pursuit," said P.J. Lavoie, Homeland Security Investigations (HIS) acting assistant special agent in charge. "We had several others fleeing on foot, which led to chaos. It was really well done by the agents and the members of the Gulf of America Task Force on scene to conduct it as safely and as thoroughly as possible."
Of the 36 arrested, 20 had a criminal history, ranging from domestic violence and DUI to multiple other charges.
Four of the individuals had final orders of deportation, and seven had re-entered the United States after being deported. Multiple subjects fled the scene and were not captured.
The individuals were living throughout Baldwin and Mobile Counties.
Lavoie said worksite raids are typically the first step in larger investigations.
The Gulf of America Homeland Security Task Force is made up of HSI, U.S. Marshals, FBI, DEA, ATF, CBP, ERO and state and local agencies.
The task force conducts long-term investigations into the cartels and criminal entities.
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