200 Airport Workers in West Arrested by INS

As part of a national enforcement push expected to spread to LAX, immigration authorities have arrested more than 200 airport workers in Western states as unlawful immigrants, officials said Tuesday.

In the latest action, 23 workers with security clearances were detained in the last week or so at Bay Area airports.

The initiative--”Operation Tarmac”--was launched in the weeks following Sept. 11 to review contract workers for food service firms, janitorial concerns and others who have access to sensitive airport areas. Agents are also checking the records of airline employees.

The Immigration and Naturalization Service so far has examined paperwork for more than 125,000 airport workers employed at 885 businesses in the Western states, said Virginia Kice, an INS spokeswoman. Agents have arrested 212 unauthorized workers, including 12 facing federal prosecution for document fraud or related crimes.

None are known to be linked to terrorism, officials stressed.

The Bay Area arrests involved 23 workers employed by businesses serving San Francisco International Airport and Mineta San Jose International Airport.

The nationwide operation has also resulted in arrests in Boston, Salt Lake City, Seattle, Las Vegas and elsewhere.

Authorities have refused to discuss specific targets, but several knowledgeable officials said INS officers were reviewing employment records at Los Angeles International, the nation’s third-busiest airport. More than 40,000 workers there have security badges giving them access to sensitive areas.

The investigation of airport workers is separate from an ongoing INS sweep that has resulted in the arrests of 184 suspected illegal immigrants at LAX since last week. That effort has focused on people recently smuggled in from Mexico and trying to board flights to other U.S. destinations.