WASHINGTON -- Immigration agents detained more than 100 temporary contract workers at the Belle Chasse Naval Air Station on possible immigration violations, U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu's office reported Thursday.
Earlier this week, Landrieu, a Louisiana Democrat, asked the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency to investigate reports that use of illegal workers by contractors hired to do Hurricane Katrina relief work was becoming "chronic."
Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials told Landrieu's office the raid occurred Wednesday, said Adam Sharp, a spokesman for Landrieu. No ICE officials could be reached Thursday night.
Landrieu wrote to ICE after receiving complaints that 75 Louisiana electricians hired to help put together a tent city at the Naval Air Station had been replaced by workers willing to work for less money. The Louisiana workers had questioned whether the replacements were in the United States legally.
The work on the tent city was being done by a BE&K, a contractor based in Birmingham, Ala. The company had been awarded the work by Texas-based Halliburton Corp., which has a contract to repair military bases damaged by Hurricane Katrina, according to Landrieu's office.
"It is a downright shame that any contractor would use this tragedy as an opportunity to line his pockets by breaking the law and hiring a low-skilled, low-wage and illegal work force," Landrieu said.
On Wednesday, a BE&K spokeswoman insisted the company is careful to check the immigration status of all employees. There was no answer at company headquarters Thursday evening.
Sharp said it was unclear what prompted ICE, which is part of the Department of Homeland Security, to investigate the matter. He said it was probably a "combination of things" -- the Landrieu letter and the public protest by the displaced Louisiana electrical workers, which included an appearance this week on CNN.