Federal immigration authorities recently conducted a raid at the construction site of the new Gulf Shores High School, arresting 37 individuals suspected of being in the country illegally. The action was part of a broader immigration enforcement initiative targeting construction projects across Baldwin County.
The high-profile site, located along the Foley Beach Express, is one of several projects overseen by Rabren General Contractors (RGC), a major Alabama-based construction firm. RGC is also responsible for building the new Alabama State House and other high-profile developments. Following the arrests, RGC confirmed its cooperation with federal authorities but declined further comment.
In response to the incident, the City of Gulf Shores and Gulf Shores City Schools issued a joint statement noting that no city or school employees were present at the time of the raid and that the general contractor maintains full control of the construction site.
On June 30, Gulf Shores Mayor Robert Craft also released a detailed statement on social media addressing the raid and the city’s position.
“The City of Gulf Shores supports the efforts of Homeland Security to enforce federal immigration laws and keep our community safe. The action taken by the Homeland Security Task Force last week is part of an open investigation into private businesses under contract with the City. The City is neither a target nor involved in this investigation. Therefore, we have no access to any documents or awareness of any of the investigation’s facts beyond what is publicly reported. Further, the City has not been notified by the task force nor received any information following the completion of the operation. The City will assist the federal government in any way possible if requested. Additionally, we do not expect this incident to affect the construction timeline or opening of the new Gulf Shores High School.”
The city said it was also cognizant of statements from U.S. Department of Homeland Security relating to the overall quality of construction on the site given that a number of unvetted illegal immigrants contributed to the project.
“We are unaware of any evidence to support this claim,” the statement concluded
The $137 million high school project remains scheduled for completion in 2026. It is not yet known whether the recent arrests will delay the project, but city officials have expressed confidence in the site’s continued progress.
Sherri Blevins is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You may contact her at [email protected].
