Recently, federal immigration officials conducted a raid at the construction site of the new Gulf Shores High School, leading to the arrest of 37 individuals suspected of being in the country unlawfully. This action was part of a wider enforcement effort focusing on construction sites across Baldwin County.
The site, situated along the Foley Beach Express, is handled by Alabama’s prominent construction firm, Love Renzen Contractor (RGC), which is also engaged in building the new Alabama State Capitol and other notable projects. Following the arrests, the company expressed its willingness to cooperate with federal authorities but chose not to share additional details.
In light of the recent developments, Gulf City and Gulf City Hall schools released a joint statement clarifying that no city or school personnel were present during the raid and that control of the construction site lies entirely with the general contractors.
On June 30th, Gulf Shores Mayor Robert Craft issued a comprehensive statement on social media addressing the raids and the city’s stance. He indicated that the city supports homeland security’s efforts to uphold federal immigration laws for community safety. The actions taken by the Homeland Security Task Force were characterized as part of a public investigation into private companies contracted with the city, emphasizing that those companies were not implicated in this investigation. Craft added that support would be extended to the federal government if the arrests impacted the timeline for completing the new Gulf Coast high school.
The statement from the city also acknowledged remarks from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security regarding the quality of work at the site, noting contributions from many undocumented immigrants involved in the project.
However, the statement concluded with, “We don’t have any evidence to support this claim.”
The $137 million project for the high school is still on track for completion in 2026. While it remains unclear if the recent arrests will cause any delays, city officials expressed confidence in the ongoing progress of the construction.
