A Fox 10 investigation in Gulf Shores recently revealed text messages between City and school officials and Rabren Construction following an immigration raid at the construction site of the new Gulf Shores High School. A public records request was also made for similar communications from Baldwin County Schools, but reporters were denied access.
Text messages revealed that Gulf Shores Board of Education president Kevin Corcoran texted superintendent Matt Akin and Gulf Shores public affairs director Blake Phelps, suggesting Homeland Security should correct a statement on the June raid.
“That’s total bulls**t,” the text read. “We should ask for a correction. The raid was not at Gulf Shores high school. It was at a construction site. Not even BOE property.”
Phelps pointed out that the headline of the press release stated the raid was at a construction site.
In that raid, 36 suspected illegal immigrants were arrested.
Fox 10 reporter Natalie Williamson said she sent a similar public records request to Baldwin County Public Schools, asking for communications from superintendent Eddie Tyler following the Loxley Elementary construction site raid, where 11 people were taken into custody. Williamson said the school system refused the request.
“Our lawyers have reached out on our behalf. We’ll keep pushing for transparency,” Williams said.
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