ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Federal investigators went back to the massive VA Hospital project in Orlando and found illegal immigrants hiding in the ceiling of the $600 million federal hospital. Agents went back to the Lake Nona site to look for illegal immigrants working on the building.
AT THE SCENE: Images Of Raid
Nine illegal immigrants were taken into custody in the immigration bust at the VA Hospital construction site (see map), investigators told WFTV Thursday. Six of them were hiding in the ceiling of one of the buildings and the other three, officers said, were roaming the construction site.
Federal investigators got a tip that people were still at the site after hours and that was suspicious since they don't typically do any work at night.
A day after a major crack-down on illegal immigrants at the construction site, workers were back on the job.
"You know they're taking jobs away from us, so it's a good thing," said crane operator Bob Livingston.
Wednesday night, federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents scoured the buildings for people hiding inside the walls and ceilings.
"There was space between poured concrete and the form work for people to hide in," said worker Bart Bruchcock.
Sources told WFTV state fraud investigators found evidence that subcontractors used fraudulent social security numbers for illegal workers and they tipped off the feds.
"Do you know which subcontractors hired these guys?" WFTV reporter Jeff Deal asked Bruchcock.
"That we don't know. Law enforcement conducted interviews and took them with them," said Bruchcock.
Veteran's Affairs admits this does not look good for the massive $600 million project, and will work to find out who was behind the alleged fraud.
None of the three main contractors would talk to WFTV, but the VA Hospital said if violations are found, they could be removed from the job and lose out on future federal jobs.
"You think this kind of thing is rampant in the construction industry and needs to be taken more seriously?" Deal asked.
"Yes, I do. It's very rampant," Livingston said.
ICE has not said where the men are from and will not release the names or photos because they say it's not a criminal charge to be in the United States illegally. It's just an administrative charge, but they will all likely be deported.