Image Credit: El Informante de Memphis / Facebook.
Article by Olivia Lupia, Tennessee Conservative News –
Over 100 people were detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) during a raid at a Memphis bar over the weekend as part of an ongoing investigation by the federal agency and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) into illegal gambling and drug activity.
Around 1 a.m. on August 30, ICE officers and TBI agents reportedly arrived at El Corralón, a bar in the Heights neighborhood, with search warrants as part of an investigation involving illegal gambling machines and alleged drug activity.
Immigration advocacy group Vecindarios 901, an organization that tracks ICE activities in Memphis and seeks to “intervene with ICE detentions” claims more than 100 people were detained and described it as the largest immigration raid in the city’s history.
A crowd of onlookers gathered outside the nightclub as community members became aware of the operation. One resident who supposedly witnessed the detentions said, “Close people from our families were there, so we got a call and we immediately showed up. It was around a hundred to a hundred and twenty people because it was three buses loaded with people and two vans.”
Memphis Police were subsequently called to the area around 3 a.m. to assist with traffic and crowd control during the operation, though officials say the scene was cleared without any injuries or property damage reported. Memphis Mayor Paul Young also emphasized that the local police force was not involved in the planning or execution of the operation, and MPD officers did not arrest or detain anyone.
Mayor Young and the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition (TIRRC) both condemned the immigration enforcement operation, saying it was “unsettling”, leaving many in the community “fearful” and causing “widespread fear and disruption among immigrant families and the broader community.”
“The people impacted by what happened [Sunday] morning are our neighbors. They are part of our Memphis community, and they deserve to be treated with dignity,” Young said.
Lisa Sherman Luna, TIRRC Executive Director, added, “When more than 100 people are violently rounded up in the middle of the night it sends devastating shockwaves through the entire community.”
Neither ICE nor TBI have announced many details about the operation yet, though some community advocates said that those who had proof of citizenship with them when they were detained were released. There is also no official confirmation of exactly how many individuals have been detained or how many of those are illegal aliens.
“On August 30, ICE conducted a multi-agency targeted enforcement operation on Macon Road in Memphis, Tennessee. This is an ongoing investigation. More information will be released when available,” wrote an ICE spokesperson in an email statement.
Sources:
About the Author: Olivia Lupia is a political refugee from Colorado who now calls Tennessee home. A proud follower of Christ, she views all political happenings through a Biblical lens and aims to utilize her knowledge and experience to educate and equip others. Olivia is an outspoken conservative who has run for local office, managed campaigns, and been highly involved with state & local GOPs, state legislatures, and other grassroots organizations and movements. Olivia can be reached at olivia@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
One Response
GOOD!! They should’ve self deported.