Eyewitness video captures illegal immigration raid at Gulf Shores High School construction site

MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) - Eyewitness video shows the moments when federal agents raided the new Gulf Shores High School construction site on the Foley Beach Express on June 24.

According to the FBI in Mobile, 37 undocumented immigrants were arrested.

“They were showing the roof hatch access door, but the people that were hiding on the roof screwed it shut,” said one witness who wanted to remain anonymous. “So they (federal agents) sent a drone up into the air to keep watch on all of them while they figure out a way to get up to the roof. And they used a lift, and as they were coming up on the roof, those guys threw the rope down to get down.”

The witness told FOX10 News Reporter Natalie Williamson they had never seen anything like this.

“When you’re sitting there on a normal workday, you’ve been working all day, you go on your lunch and then you see that happen,” they said. “It was the craziest thing I’ve ever seen.”

FOX10 News received word of this raid after viewers called in and sent us footage. We reached out to the City of Gulf Shores and the Gulf Shores School System. They told me they weren’t aware of the raid until I called.

I also reached out to the general contractor, Rabren General Contractors, who was also unaware of the raid until I spoke to them.

This is just one of many immigration enforcement raids happening across Baldwin County. One video showed undocumented immigrants running around a pond at Raley Farms to get away from officers. Dash cam footage showed agents questioning suspects.

Those are examples of private construction sites. The raid at the new Gulf Shores High School is the first time we’re hearing federal agents making arrests at a facility funded by taxpayers.

The project is expected to cost $137 million dollars.

With 37 workers arrested here today, it’s unclear if this will set back the school’s completion date, which is scheduled for next year.

The City of Gulf shores and Gulf Shores City Schools sent us the following joint statement:

We also got a statement from Rabren General Contractors:

We have also reached out to the project manager but have not heard back.