Aerospace Worker Charged with Falsely Claiming Citizenship

Federal authorities arrested Alma Patricia Contreras Villafana, a 54-year-old Mexican national, on Friday. She is accused of repeatedly lying about her U.S. citizenship to secure employment at Howmet Aerospace, a company that manufactures parts for aircraft and holds contracts with the U.S. military.

Homeland Security officers took Contreras Villafana into custody following a standoff at the Howmet Aerospace factory in Torrance, California, where she worked as a machinist. The arrest of an individual accused of falsely claiming citizenship to work for a defense contractor highlights ongoing concerns about immigration and national security.