21 held in immigration raid, 2nd time in month that agents arrest workers at project site on Maui
Honolulu Advertiser Staff
September 24, 2008
HONOKOWAI, Maui — Twenty-one illegal immigrant workers were arrested Monday at the luxury Honua Kai construction project by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.
It was the second time in a month that immigration agents encountered illegal workers at the Honokowai construction site. On Aug. 20, 23 illegal immigrants from three companies were arrested, including 13 who worked for subcontractor Global Stone Inc. of Orem, Utah.
All of the workers picked up Monday worked for Global Stone Inc., according to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The Advertiser was unable to contact the company.
The 21 men taken into custody include 12 from Mexico, eight from Brazil and one from Slovakia, the agency said. They are undergoing deportation proceedings.
Wayne Wills, special agent in charge of Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigations in Hawai'i, said in a statement that it was troubling "to receive reports about unauthorized aliens working for Global Stone Inc. despite prior enforcement actions."
U.S. Attorney Ed Kubo said in a statement that companies pleading ignorance of workers' immigration status should "think again, because if there is enough evidence we will aggressively pursue all available remedies to address this issue."
Before Monday's arrests, Kubo had reported 120 worksite arrests since December, mostly involving construction and farm workers. Wills would not comment on whether the company is facing prosecution, because the investigation is ongoing. Kubo was not available yesterday to say whether any employers in Hawai'i have been penalized for hiring undocumented workers.
Honua Kai is a 38-acre beachfront project comprising two condominium towers and a total of 700 condo and townhome units.
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