News Summary
In Loxley, Alabama, federal immigration agents raided the construction site of the new Loxley Elementary School, arresting 11 workers on site. The operation, characterized by chaos as many workers attempted to flee, involved agents from the Gulf of America Homeland Security Task Force. Despite the arrests, construction is expected to continue as usual. Local authorities indicate an increase in immigration enforcement actions correlating with larger national initiatives. The school is set to open in Fall 2026, with the district cooperating with federal investigations.
Loxley, Alabama – Federal Immigration Agents Conduct Raid at Loxley Elementary School Construction Site, Arresting 11 Workers
Federal immigration agents conducted a raid at the construction site for the new Loxley Elementary School in Loxley, Alabama, resulting in the arrest of 11 individuals on Wednesday morning. The operation, which began at approximately 8:30 a.m., involved agents from the Gulf of America Homeland Security Task Force.
Witnesses described a chaotic scene as construction workers fled the site. Irv Ballonoff, a worker at the location, filmed the arrival of the agents and noted that many laborers initially attempted to escape into nearby fields. However, as agents pursued them on four-wheelers, some workers changed course and returned toward the school to seek refuge. Reports indicate that several individuals attempted to hide in the roofs and attics of the building, with at least one agent falling through a roof during the pursuit of a suspect. Meanwhile, a helicopter hovered above, and law enforcement officers blocked access to the site.
Ultimately, 11 individuals were arrested during the raid, part of a larger immigration enforcement initiative. However, many other workers at the site were documented and were not apprehended. Ballonoff mentioned that he was only aware of one arrest, which occurred after the individual managed to evade capture for an extended period.
Baldwin County Schools Superintendent Eddie Tyler confirmed that the school district is cooperating with federal authorities in relation to the investigation. He stressed that the district’s contracts mandate compliance with federal law but indicated that there were no suggestions of wrongdoing within the school district itself. The construction of the new school is expected to be completed in time for its opening in Fall 2026.
This raid is indicative of a broader trend regarding immigration enforcement in Alabama. The state has seen an uptick in such actions, coinciding with President Donald Trump’s administration push to ramp up the arrest of undocumented immigrants, with ambitious goals to apprehend as many as 3,000 individuals each day. In Baldwin County, local law enforcement agencies have begun collaborating more closely with federal agents, suggesting an expanded focus on immigration issues in the region.
Despite the disruption caused by the raid, construction work at the Loxley Elementary School site resumed shortly thereafter, indicating that operations were not significantly hindered by the events of the day.
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Additional Resources
- Fox10 News
- Wikipedia: Loxley, Alabama
- AL.com
- Google Search: Immigration Raid Loxley
- WKRG News
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Immigration
- Yellowhammer News
- Google News: Immigration Enforcement Alabama
- NBC 15 News
