Carter County Restaurant Owners Immigration Trial Pushed to December

Image Credit: Red Ginger Buffet / Facebook

The Tennessee Conservative [By Adelia Kirchner] –

A federal judge has agreed to delay the trial of Red Ginger Buffet owners out of Carter County until Tuesday, December 9^th.

Xiong Wei Yang and Xue Rong Wu were arrested and indicted on federal felony charges for harboring, concealing, and employing four illegal immigrants.

Defense Attorney Jefferson Fairchild requested the trial date be moved on account of circumstances revolving around a language barrier and Wu’s pregnancy. She is due in early November. 

Fairchild wrote that even though he had met with the couple multiple times, “communication between counsel and defendants requires a translator and is difficult.”

The attorney added that all written discovery also has to be translated to the couple’s language, Fuzhounese, and that “even finding a translator who is willing to meet in person with defendants and counsel has been challenging.”

Federal Judge Clifton Corker responded last week saying that he wouldn’t extend the trial date to early 2026 as requested, but that Fairchild’s motion was “well-taken” saying that “a four-month continuance is sufficient but not greater than necessary to accommodate defendants’ circumstances.”

The trial was originally scheduled for Tuesday, August 12^th.

While Red Ginger Buffet has been closed since the end of July, Yang and Wu have stated on social media that they plan on reopening.

About the Author: Adelia Kirchner is a Tennessee resident and reporter for the Tennessee Conservative. Currently the host of Subtle Rampage Podcast, she has also worked for the South Dakota State Legislature and interned for Senator Bill Hagerty’s Office in Nashville, Tennessee.  You can reach Adelia at adelia@tennesseeconservativenews.com.