Owner of Mississippi company charged with falsifying documents for illegals to work on interstate bridges

Homeland Security authorities have accused a Mississippi man of risking public safety by hiring illegal immigrants for bridge construction projects. Jose Santos Gonzalez' Tarrasco Steel Co. was hired to install rebar to reinforce concrete in bridges in three states. He was charged with employing illegals and falsifying documents.

The July 29 indictment followed March raids in Tennessee, Mississippi and Louisiana. Immigration and Custom Enforcement (ICE) noted that 77 illegal immigrants from Honduras, Guatemala and Mexico were arrested at the job sites, including 26 Tarrasco employees.

Gonzalez was arraigned just three days before the collapse of the I-40 West Bridge over the Mississippi River in Minnesota. His company did not work on that bridge, but the charges against him demonstrate how pervasive the employment of illegal aliens is within the United States.

"There is a serious public safety concern when illegal aliens, who are not authorized to work in the country legally, are employed in the construction of bridges in our communities," said Michael A. Holt, special agent in charge with ICE investigations in New Orleans. "While there is no reason to believe that these individuals had ill intent against our country, they could have been susceptible to blackmail from individuals wanting to hurt Americans." ICE said that interstate highway bridges are important to economic security and public health and safety.

If convicted, Santos Gonzalez could face prison time, the seizure of property and forfeiture of $3 million. Authorities have seized $457,000 in the case.