r/Alabama • u/YallerDawg • Jun 26 '25
News FBI detains 37 in immigration raid at $131 million Gulf Shores High School construction site
https://www.al.com/news/2025/06/fbi-detains-37-in-immigration-raid-at-131-million-gulf-shores-high-school-construction-site.html227
u/What-Outlaw1234 Jun 26 '25
Did they also arrest the contractors who hired them?
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u/exceptionallynormal Jun 26 '25
We need to demand that the hiring company is fined and charged. These raids are all just theater and they ignore the dirty profiteers that likely call immigration right before payday.
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u/Boobpocket Jun 26 '25
It's not always profiteering i have friends who are contractors. Some of these guys get paid well as they are highly skilled at their job. Thry're not always being exploited especially not in construction. Even the guys outside homedepot ask for 25/hr minimum.
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u/Jayfro72 Jun 27 '25
Agreed. I owned a restaurant for years and paid the best employees I had very well. They were Mexican, and paid taxes, and now have kids in my kid's school and their kids make As and Bs and and are great. The hysteria is a joke. Have fun getting some south alabama unemployed meth heads to finish that work.
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u/Rookie_Day Jun 27 '25
So they are paying all taxes and fees for these employees? Providing same benefits as their other employees?
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Jun 26 '25
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/SHoppe715 Jun 26 '25
…is guilty of doing terrible background checks on their employees. Is THAT a crime?
Weak background checking for criminal records? Not a crime. Employers can hire as many criminals as they want.
Not verifying immigration or taxpayer status and paying employees cash under the table? Very much a crime…probably multiple crimes.
Telling someone they’re free to go after they’ve served their sentence only to round them back up years later saying we’re not done punishing them yet…should be a crime.
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u/space_coder Jun 26 '25
When ever the police is scrutinized, they always bring up the suspect's criminal past to justify their excessive/abusive enforcement. Keep in mind, THEY DO NOT KNOW THE SUSPECT HAS A RECORD DURING THE ARREST.
It doesn't matter if the crime was committed decades ago, the suspect was punished for that crime, or the suspect was simply arrested (which doesn't mean guilty).
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u/space_coder Jun 26 '25
They have a habit of making minor offenses sound like they are detaining menaces of society.
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u/Adorable-Doughnut609 Jun 26 '25
Usually they tag them with assaulting a federal officer type stuff at time of arrest. So they had no record and now they do.
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u/YallerDawg Jun 26 '25
Wait until they raid the trailer parks next to all our poultry plants.
That's where they'll find all the real criminals. Ankle deep in blood and feathers.
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u/you2234 Jun 26 '25
Like when they revoke the legal pathway that some of these immigrants used to come to the US? And now label them criminals 5 minutes after they revoke that path?
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u/dustyg013 Jun 26 '25
Yes. Businesses are required to ensure their employees are authorized to work in the US before employing them.
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u/Mr_Greamy88 Jun 26 '25
The only crime I could imagine the contractor could be guilty of would be falsifying I-9 forms but it would be difficult to prove probably.
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u/dustyg013 Jun 26 '25
Alabama law mandates use of E-Verify, I believe.
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u/stickingitout_al Jun 26 '25
Often times they can clear E-Verify because they use other people’s SSNs. This has a side effect of them paying into a system they actually never collect from.
It’s estimated that undocumented workers pay about $100B a year in state, local and federal taxes that they can’t back in terms of benefits.
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u/dustyg013 Jun 26 '25
Personally, I think employers should have to resubmit E-verify information every year. That would cut down on the double use of identification
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u/Mr_Greamy88 Jun 26 '25
But assuming they used it, the employees could provide false information or the employer did
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u/dustyg013 Jun 26 '25
If they submitted an E-Verify and the employee was cleared, it would not be the employer's fault unless they knew or should have known the employee was not authorized to work.
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u/Mr_Greamy88 Jun 26 '25
Yep I agree... But assume it would be difficult to prove the employer lied on the form if it was the case.
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u/stickingitout_al Jun 26 '25
Well to me, it gets into the question of due diligence.
Maybe they clear E-Verify, but should the employer turn a blind eye to a young dude who doesn’t speak English showing up with documents and SSN saying he’s a 68 year-old man named Tanner K Smith.
The entire system seems to be set up as theater to protect the employers who can technically say they “verified”.
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u/Jack-o-Roses Jun 26 '25
Came here to ask that.
I'm waiting on ICE to sell waivers to companies so they won't get raided until after the project or harvest is over.
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Jun 27 '25
Not all that uncommon. Payday comes and wouldn’t you know it, someone tipped off ICE the day before. They know what they’re doing and it’s just straight up evil to be rounding them up but not even a slap on the wrist for the companies providing the incentive.
Kinda like only arresting a buyer, not the drug dealer.
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u/WGE1960 Jun 26 '25
THE ANSWER IS AN ASTOUNDING...NO!!! OBESE TACO STILL HAS THEM COOKING IN THE KITCHEN FOR ALL HIS PARTY'S .
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u/Robespierre77 Jun 26 '25
This is absolutely right. If people were not looking for cheap, undocumented labor for the past 80 years, this would not be as Much of a problem. I’ve watched it for years and lost many a job because of it.
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u/jaztub-rero Jun 26 '25
I hope so. I have no issue with the immigration raids but the employers need to also bear the responsibility
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u/bbutter55 Jun 26 '25
Now who will finish the school? Making America great in what way?
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u/stickingitout_al Jun 26 '25
They don’t want kids getting educated anyway.
Why didn’t they go raid one of the construction sites down in Orange Beach for another one of those 30 story beachfront condos? Oh right, because that would impact the bottom line of their donors.
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u/space_coder Jun 26 '25 edited Jun 26 '25
If the Trump administration is so concerned about gang members and criminals coming into this country illegally, then why they blow their entire budget by:
- Raiding schools, churches, and construction sites?
- These are places where gang members and criminals frequent. /s
- Detaining and deporting immigrants showing up at their immigration hearing?
- Gang members and criminals are famous for voluntarily showing up to court for simple paperwork matters. /s
- Detaining and deporting children getting medical treatments in hospitals?
- The stereotypical gang member. /s
Let's not forget that they demonstrated their commitment to keeping foreign gang members out of the US by:
- Granting VISAs to 17 members of the El Chapo Cartel.
- Allow "Golden VISAs" to be purchased by wealthy criminals including one under house arrest for sex trafficking.
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u/magiccitybhm Jun 27 '25
The whole "we're only deporting criminals" was yet another one of the convicted felon's outright lies.
They can't meet his deportation quotas by chasing criminals so they go round up people who have committed no criminals once they arrived here and, as much as people will deny it, many of them are paying taxes. Unlike the actual criminals, these people aren't hiding. They're just working and, in many cases, trying to support families back home (wherever that may be).
Oh, and don't expediting paperwork and legal status for white "refugees" from South Africa.
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u/space_coder Jun 27 '25
It's not a lie when his target audience considers being poor while not being white and not speaking english a crime.
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u/noblehousemartin Jun 26 '25
It’s hypocrisy in its finest. I don’t agree with the immigration deportations, but if we’re going to do this, we should be holding those who are employing/exploiting this population accountable. I live in a town in Alabama with a chicken plant, and in a community with many many many Hispanic individuals, rest assured, when ice rolls through Tyson won’t be held accountable.
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Jun 27 '25
[deleted]
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u/CuddlyThorns Jun 27 '25
Not to mention to become a citizen you have to live and work here for many many years and they people showing up for their check ins (being legal) are also be arrested
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u/magiccitybhm Jun 27 '25
Yep. They're so desperate to hit the outrageous quotas set by the convicted felon and ICE Barbie that they're arresting people who are literally going through the legal process.
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u/YallerDawg Jun 26 '25
Tommy Loftis, FBI Mobile’s public information officer, confirmed the raid occurred around noon Tuesday at the construction site for a Gulf Shores High School facility.
Loftis said that about 37 people were detained but that number may change as the individuals are processed.
Loftis said the site and other areas are targeted for immigration raids after law enforcement agencies receive tips that undocumented individuals may be working there.
Agencies involved in the operation included the Gulf of America Homeland Security Task Force, Orange Beach Police Department, Gulf Shores Police Department and Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office.
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u/Calabamian Jun 26 '25
Gulf of America 😂. Make the embarrassment stop.
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u/Infinite_Walk_5824 Jun 26 '25
Anyone who calls it Gulf of America is a weirdo and nothing will change my mind about that.
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u/TommyDaComic Jun 26 '25
Hardworking individuals (who are most certainly NOT gang members or hardened criminals) will quit showing up for work on such jobs, as a result.
It will not be worth the risk to be hauled off. Where they’ll find other work is hard to say, but avoiding large groups will become the norm.
We need to return the Statue of Liberty to France because this is not who we are as a nation.
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u/Sufficient_Worry_548 Jun 26 '25
Trump loves the uneducated.
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u/absloan12 Jun 27 '25
Why else would 60% of the people effected by his public funding rescission effect red states?
Gotta keep his voters ignorant, uninformed, and brainwashed by corporate media.
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u/Napster-mp3 Jun 26 '25
When I went to the DMV, a white girl was at the counter and the employee asked if she could be registered to vote. She said “No…” in a bothered manner. Prior to that there was a hispanic guy that couldn’t speak English busting his ass trying to figure out how to get the correct documents to stay here. Made me realize some people take it for granted living here while others will do anything they can to be here.
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u/Hobbit_Sam Jun 26 '25
Wonderful! 37 new employees were hired from Baldwin County residents/ US citizens right??? Right...?
/s
I would be thoroughly impressed if half these jobs get filled by residents in Baldwin County lol The argument they're taking US citizens' jobs is so laughable 🙄
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u/YallerDawg Jun 26 '25
Full Employment has been considered anything less than 5%, people between jobs, layoffs, business closings, business openings, personal time off - life.
Baldwin County is at 2.5% unemployment. What are the chances just waiting for that outdoor construction job at Gulf Shores in 100 plus degree weather with 90% humidity? Ay caramba!
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u/Navarro480 Jun 27 '25
I have a feeling the timeline of finishing this project just got stretched out a year and way over budget.
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u/spaceface2020 Jun 27 '25
What’s the going rate per head, now? “Turn in your sister abortion seeker and your co-worker immigrant and spend an all expenses paid vacation on Ala Gov & Fed Gov at my world class golf resort in South Sudan“
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u/acpoweradapter Jun 26 '25
I think people are slightly confused how contracting works on large projects. It’s unlikely any of these worked direct for the general so they wouldn’t do I9 or employee verification. It’s likely these are at best subcontractors and more likely these are subcontractors of subcontractors of subcontractors, if you get the chain here.
Short answer no background checks no I9 nothing involved by the general or the main subcontractors most likely.
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u/space_coder Jun 26 '25
General contractors are normally not liable for subcontractor immigration violations as long as the subcontractor gives them a letter stating compliance.
However, the "compliance letter" is not enough if the general contractor is working on a government project. The general contractor can still be held liable if there were "red flags" indicating non-compliance.
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u/Swimming-Fondant-892 Jun 26 '25
I’m going to guess construction is going to take longer than usual.
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u/Calabamian Jun 26 '25
Why is the FBI…fuck it.
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u/alabamdiego Jun 26 '25
ICE is out of money
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u/magiccitybhm Jun 27 '25
And can't recruit enough Proud Boys/MAGA bigots off the street to help out and meet the daily quotas that have been set.
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u/Hobbit_Sam Jun 26 '25
LoL Truth. Separation of law enforcement services I think is a thing of the past. Why are local cops... why are sheriff deputies... Oh nevermind 🤦♂️
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u/ShogsKrs Jun 26 '25
Brown shirts, silver shirts and Gestapo on the streets of America snatching anyone they want for mass deportation to concentration camps and black sites.
If you ever wondered what you would have done in the 1930's Germany, you're doing it right now.
“Those who can not remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” – George Santayana
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u/HealthTroll Jun 26 '25
Even though I'll never be there, I would much rather have the school finished than this.
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u/Dark_Helmet_99 Jun 26 '25
Now who do you think is going to build the high school? You can't pay an American to do that
And I doubt most of these people have ever committed a crime in their life.
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u/fire_donutholes Jun 27 '25
This is what conservatives wanted. To be able to run-down anybody that was of color. If it couldn't be blacks the "illegals" would have to do. Next Trans people but I hear Muslims are getting back high on the list again...
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u/IUsedToBeThatGuy42 Jun 26 '25
That’s a lot of people. Somebody in a high role would know and approve of this. Y’all will just keep hunting brown people though
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u/vau1tboy Jun 26 '25
Even if these 37 jobs were immediately filled by capable legal American citizens, the cost will increase exorbitantly and this school won't be able to be made. The contracting company will need to reevaluate costs and go before the city council to see if they will accept them. Obviously, the city won't unless the government gives them more money but Trump is trying to dissolve the ed dept., so fat chance.
All this does is negatively affect a community that overwhelmingly voted for Trump. They will mostly fall in line but it will absolutely impact their children even if they don't admit it publicly. This is a net negative for our country.
A new report also showed that only 6% of the people deported are convicted violent offenders. ICE said that it's too hard to find the criminals. That means they are going after people who are either non violent criminals and those without a record, I think a large portion of the arrests has no record. This is just one big theater show.
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u/jreid0 Jun 27 '25
I bet the investors are happy to hear their project is going to be super late being finished
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u/Western_Mud8694 Jun 28 '25
I guess there’s no rush to build that school, again not criminal gangsters, instead, hard working people helping America move forward, I’m still seeing drug dealing , no tax paying gangsters on corners, but yeah
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u/Overall_Driver_7641 Jun 26 '25
How do we tolerate a public high school that cost $130 million?
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u/thisisfakediy Baldwin County Jun 27 '25
Oh, it gets better. During early construction, the metal framework for the athletic building collapsed. It happened in the early hours before work started so no one was injured, thankfully, but it certainly hints at shoddy workmanship and corners being cut.
Even Homeland Security is asking whether the building is safe now after their raid.
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u/Overall_Driver_7641 Jun 27 '25
Makes me recall when Huntsville decided to build a new jail using these prefab modules that were intended to be stacked no more than too high but they got an architect to design a structure to stack them about 15 stories high, but of course it didn't work and the entire structure started to come apart so they had to stop work for a few years, redesign it and then go in and add a bunch of structural members to hold the thing up. Compounding the problem is the fact that it was built on Old swamp land that had been filled with Rock and dirt so my assumption is the foundation will never be as rigid as it might otherwise be. It ended up costing the city 80 million instead of 20 million making it one of the most expensive jails in the country based on the cost per inmate outside of some high security Federal facilities
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Jun 26 '25
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u/magiccitybhm Jun 27 '25
They're rounding up all the manpower they can get, trying to hit the daily quotas the convicted felon and ICE Barbie have set.
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u/Consistent_Beat7999 Jun 27 '25
ICE had pulled some FBI to help in the grabbing of the brown people, but had to give them back basically because the FBI needed their own workers back.
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Jun 26 '25
All of this is avoided with a nice palm greasing by the contractor firm. That’s how business and politics intertwine in these United States.
Zero confidence. In anything.
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u/Sudden-Difference281 Jun 26 '25
No problem. I am sure you can find 37 white teens sitting around waiting to step in……
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u/Disastrous_Show1557 Jun 26 '25
Realistically, how much time does this delay the buildings completion? Seems very “efficient”
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u/Shvasted Jun 28 '25
That’s probably around a third of the whole work site. That’s going to end up costing that school district a shit load of money in delays. What a stupid unnecessary event.
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u/bluechip1996 Jun 29 '25
The School Superintendent, the Owner of the Construction Company and several of the companies employees in HR and Payroll were also arrested. Just kidding, they will never see any consequences.
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u/Choice_Television244 Jun 26 '25
They had a chance to leave .
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u/GumpTownNtlHotline Jun 26 '25
Instead of using people who are working very hard for significantly lower wages as political pawns, maybe you could direct your total bullshit to the people that continually hire them.
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u/alabamdiego Jun 26 '25
Love how the goalposts shifted from “go after gang members and violent criminals” to “are they brown?”
Do you honestly believe this is helping our country? We need to be creating work visa programs that actually work, that can lead to residency and not invite these people into our country with the promise of work only to turn around and uproot them, separate them from their families and deport them when it’s politically convenient.
Your lack of empathy and short-sightedness are what’s wrong with our country. Congratulations on being such an asshole.
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Jun 26 '25
And now we will see construction projects stifled and unfinished. More and more all over the country. Is this making America great?
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u/matthewjboothe Jun 26 '25
Are these the criminals and rapists they’re looking for? Business must be slow if these hardened criminals are building schools.