10 illegal aliens arrested in Grainger raid were deported before
Records: 10 immigrants arrested in Grainger raid were deported before
Matt Lakin, USA TODAY NETWORK -- Tennessee Published 1:45 p.m. ET April 9, 2018 | Updated 2:20 p.m. ET April 9, 2018
About 50 people from the Knoxville religious community gathered near the Immigration intake office Monday, April 9, 2018 to peacefully show solidarity for those reporting after Morristown raid.
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(Photo: PAUL J. RICHARDS, AFP/Getty Images)
Ten of the slaughterhouse workers arrested in last week's Grainger County immigration raid defied previous deportation orders - including one kicked out of the U.S. more than 15 years ago, court records show.
One of the workers, Virgen Mendoza-Perez, had been deported twice — the first time after being convicted of felony child abuse in Florida, according to a complaint.
The 10 spoke little or no English, could provide no valid identification, and admitted to returning to the U.S. illegally, federal agents wrote. One described creeping across the border on foot into Arizona after his deportation.
All remain in federal custody with hearings set for Friday in U.S. District Court in Greeneville. The raid came as part of an IRS probe of whether Southeastern's owners, James and Pamela Brantley, failed to file payroll taxes on undocumented workers, according to court records. The Brantleys haven't been charged.
Catch, release, repeat
Immigration hard-liners say such cases prove the need for tougher enforcement. Advocates for immigration reform say the system's not that simple.
More: Protests, vigils decry immigration raid, arrests at Grainger slaughterhouse
More: ICE raids Grainger County meatpacking plant amid charges owners avoided $2.5M in payroll taxes
"These people come here and build lives," said Meghan Conley, a member of the steering committee for Allies of Knoxville's Immigrant Neighbors. "They may be here for as long as 10 or 15 years before they're deported, and they may be deported on very minor charges. Once they're deported, their families are still here. Their whole lives are here."
https://www.gannett-cdn.com/-mm-/e4e...7-Vigil-04.JPGBuy Photo Meghan Conley talks about 50 people from the Knoxville religious community gathering near the Immigration intake office Monday, April 9, 2018 to peacefully show solidarity for those reporting. (Photo: Michael Patrick/News Sentinel)
Court records give few details on the lives of those 10, other than their nationalities and deportation records.
Here's a snapshot of their histories:
- Virgen Mendoza-Perez: A native of Mexico, deported July 3, 2009, from the Port of El Paso, Texas, after being convicted of child abuse in Suwanee County, Fla.; deported for the second time July 13, 2015, from Paso Del Norte, Texas, after being arrested during a traffic stop in Hamblen County.
- Mateo Gomez-Pablo: A native of Guatemala, deported June 12, 2015 from the Port of Phoenix, Ariz.
- Antonio Garcia-Martin: A native of Mexico, deported Sept. 21, 2012, from the Port of Harlingen, Texas.
- Domingo Gregorio-Domingo: A native of Guatemala, deported March 21, 2016 from the Port of Alexandria, La.
- Miguel Silva-Silva: A native of Mexico, deported Aug. 26, 2002 from the Port of Laredo, Texas.
- David Perez-Bartelon: A native of Mexico, deported Dec. 26, 2013, from the Port of New Orleans.
- Jose Roblero-Bravo: A native of Mexico, deported May 2, 2013, from the Port of Douglas, Ariz.
- Evelio Alejandro Bravo-Arreaga: A native of Guatemala, ordered deported June 29, 2017.
- Pablo Tivurcio-Lopez: A native of Mexico, deported Dec. 4, 2012, from the Port of Nogales, Ariz.
- Marvin Oriel Marroquin-Lopez: A native of Guatemala, ordered deported June 9, 2015.
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