Sheriff Arpaio: Illegal arrested at Palo Verde nuke plant

PHOENIX -- An illegal immigrant used a fake ID to get past security and entered the Palo Verde Nuclear plant west of Phoenix, according to Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio.

"We have arrested an illegal alien who has penetrated and gone into the Palo Verde nuclear plant," Arpaio said Thursday, adding that he is outraged at another example of the lack of security along the Arizona-Mexico border.

Cruz Loya Alvares was taken into custody by Sheriff Deputies Wednesday and interrogated by the Sheriff's Human Smuggling detectives.

Cruz admitted to deputies he has been in the U.S. for most of the past 15 years. He was detained and deported in 2000 but paid a coyote re-entry into the U.S.

Also, he was cited by Mesa Police last month for driving with a suspended license.

According to Sheriff Arpaio, Cruz tried to gain access to the Nuclear power plant on Monday but was denied entrance because his Mexican Driver's license was expired.

"To some extent security at this nuclear power plant worked," Arpaio said in a released statement. "But still, an illegal immigrant was permitted to gain access to this facility. This raises the question: how safe is Palo Verde really if an illegal alien can gain access to this nation's largest nuclear power facility?

"This suggests to me that sadly, like our nation's borders, our most critical public utilities/installations are perhaps not nearly as safely guarded as they need to be."

Two different people working in security at the power plant also told Sheriff's officials that drivers of contractor's vehicles can "vouch" for the passengers if no identification documents are on hand at the time of entry.

"In post 9/11 times, "vouching" for employees who contractor's know little about is not good practice for a facility as critical as a nuclear power plant," Arpaio added.

Jim McDonald with APS said the highly secured areas were properly protected.

"No question about the safety of the plant or of the public as a result of this," he said. "Reactors, control rooms, any kind of vital system," employees have to have extensive background checks to gain access.

Palo Verde is the nation's largest nuclear plant. It is 50 miles west of downtown Phoenix.