Naval Warfare Center Suspends Non-Citizen
KEYPORT, Wash. — A man who worked at the Naval Undersea Warfare Center for 15 years was suspended after authorities discovered he is a Mexican citizen.
Arnie Covarrubias worked on some of the most highly classified projects at the Navy testing center for torpedoes and other undersea weapons. Federal law requires the government’s civilian employees to be U.S. citizens and bars secret security clearance for foreigners.
Base officials said last week that a security review last month showed he is not a U.S. citizen. Covarrubias has been cleared of criminal intent. He is studying to take the U.S. citizenship test in November.
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