ICE Arrests Two Truck Drivers Near Meta Data Center Site

Two truck drivers were detained by federal immigration agents during a routine traffic stop inspection near Meta's massive data center construction project in Louisiana. The incident occurred Wednesday in Richland Parish, where the Hyperion Data Center is currently under construction.

According to local officials, the drivers were arrested by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement due to their immigration status. The detention took place on public roads as vehicles were heading to the construction site, not on Meta's private property. This event underscores the complex intersection of large-scale infrastructure projects, immigration enforcement, and corporate responsibility in today's political climate.

The Richland Parish Sheriff's Office confirmed that ICE agents conducted traffic stop inspections on vehicles traveling to the Meta construction site. During these stops, two dump truck drivers were identified and arrested based on their immigration documentation.

Officials provided specific details about the detained individuals:

• Both drivers were operating dump trucks
• They were traveling to the Hyperion Data Center site
• Arrests occurred during standard traffic inspections
• Drivers were from Guatemala and Honduras

The Sheriff's Office explicitly stated that ICE did not enter the Meta site at any time during this operation. This distinction is crucial, as it indicates the enforcement action occurred on public thoroughfares rather than within the construction company's private property boundaries.

During those stops, two drivers were arrested by ICE due to their immigration status.

The Hyperion Data Center represents one of Meta's most ambitious infrastructure investments to date. The project forms part of the company's strategic push to rapidly expand its AI computing capacity, a race that has intensified significantly in recent years.

According to company statements, this Louisiana facility is the largest among several multi-gigawatt data centers that CEO Mark Zuckerberg has indicated will come online. These massive facilities are designed to support the computational demands of advanced artificial intelligence systems and large-scale data processing.

The scale of the project underscores why immigration enforcement actions near such sites draw significant attention. With billions of dollars invested and thousands of workers involved in construction and eventual operation, any disruption—however minor—can have ripple effects across the supply chain and timeline.

Meta declined to comment on the incident when contacted by media outlets, maintaining a position of non-engagement regarding the specific enforcement action.

The arrests in Louisiana reflect a broader pattern of increased immigration enforcement activity across the United States. Over the past year, ICE operations have surged in cities and towns nationwide, creating new challenges for businesses operating in various sectors.

Companies have increasingly had to grapple with how to prepare their workforce for potential ICE encounters, whether these occur on company property or during off-site travel. This preparation includes understanding legal rights, compliance requirements, and operational protocols.

Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry has emerged as a prominent supporter of President Donald Trump's immigration policies. The state's alignment with federal enforcement priorities is reflected in its financial arrangements:

• Angola prison facility houses ICE detainees
• State receives nearly $1 million monthly for detention services
• Public records confirm the financial arrangement
• Arrangement supports broader enforcement infrastructure

This incident crystallizes the intersection of infrastructure development, immigration policy, and corporate governance at a time when all three areas face intense scrutiny and rapid evolution.

The Meta incident serves as a case study in the operational complexities facing large-scale construction projects in the current regulatory environment. While the arrests occurred off-site, the proximity to a major corporate project raises questions about supply chain management and contractor vetting processes.

For companies like Meta, which are racing to deploy critical infrastructure, maintaining project timelines while navigating complex regulatory landscapes presents ongoing challenges. The incident highlights several key considerations:

• Supply chain transparency and contractor compliance
• Worker documentation verification processes
• Coordination with local and federal authorities
• Public relations and stakeholder communication

The fact that ICE did not enter the Meta site suggests the enforcement action was limited to public roadways, which may provide some legal and operational clarity for the company. However, the incident still represents a disruption that could affect project logistics and worker morale.

As Meta continues its expansion into AI computing capacity, incidents like this may become more common, particularly in regions with active immigration enforcement and large-scale construction projects.

The Meta data center arrests represent more than an isolated enforcement action—they signal the evolving challenges at the intersection of technology infrastructure, immigration policy, and corporate responsibility. As companies race to build the digital infrastructure of tomorrow, they must navigate the regulatory and enforcement realities of today.

For Meta specifically, the incident may prompt internal reviews of contractor vetting processes and supply chain management. More broadly, it highlights the need for companies to develop comprehensive strategies for addressing immigration enforcement in the context of large-scale projects.

The Louisiana incident will likely serve as a reference point for other companies facing similar challenges, particularly as ICE activity continues nationwide and as the demand for AI computing capacity drives unprecedented infrastructure expansion across the country.