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    Senior Member JohnDoe2's Avatar
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    Protests, vigils decry immigration raid, arrests at Grainger slaughterhouse

    Protests, vigils decry immigration raid, arrests at Grainger slaughterhouse

    Matt Lakin,Cortney Roark and Amy McRary, Knoxville Published 11:02 a.m. ET April 9, 2018 | Updated 6:50 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: Michael Patrick / News Sentinel)


    Advocates and church leaders across East Tennessee are offering support for immigrants and their families after a federal immigration raid that rounded up nearly 100 people last week.

    Members of the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition, along with family and friends of those arrested, held a prayer vigil at 6 p.m. at Hillcrest Elementary School in Morristown to decry "the unjust separation of families" caused by Thursday's raid by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents on Southeastern Provision, a Grainger County slaughterhouse near Bean Station, Tenn. The raid has been called the region's largest such roundup in the past decade.

    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. (Photo: Michael Patrick/News Sentinel)


    "My husband was detained," said Elisabeth Morales in a statement provided by the coalition. "I have been 20 years in Morristown. All my children were born here. My husband is sick. He has diabetes. We're worried about him that they're not treating him very well."

    The statement doesn't list her husband's name or state his immigration status.

    In aftermath of the Tennessee immigration raid, many students didn't show up to school the next day. Teachers gathered at a local Catholic church Saturday night in Morristown to brainstorm ways to support families and share thoughts and resources. (Photo: Tennessee Immigration and Refugee Rights Coalition)


    Sister shows of support

    The Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church in Knoxville held a "sister vigil" to the Morristown event at the same time — 6 p.m. Monday — at the sanctuary, 2931 Kingston Pike.


    In aftermath of the Tennessee immigration raid, many students didn't show up to school the next day. Teachers gathered at a local Catholic church Saturday night in Morristown to brainstorm ways to support families and share thoughts and resources. (Photo: Tennessee Immigration and Refugee Rights Coalition)

    "It'll be a time of prayer and reflection, but also of action," said the Rev. Chris Buice, the church's pastor.

    "It's really kind of an open expression of being a good neighbor. The Bible instructs us to welcome the stranger in our midst, for by doing so we may be entertaining angels unawares.

    "What we're seeing is a very painful reckoning because our elected leaders have kicked the can down the road and postponed action on immigration reform. Now we have mothers and fathers separated from their children and spouses separated from each other, and this was completely avoidable."

    About 50 people gathered Monday morning outside the Knoxville ICE office on Prosperity Road for an hourlong vigil of prayers and songs, organized by Allies of Knoxville’s Immigrant Neighbors, another advocacy group.


    In aftermath of the Tennessee immigration raid, many students didn't show up to school the next day.

    Teachers gathered at a local Catholic church Saturday night in Morristown to brainstorm ways to support families and share thoughts and resources. (Photo: Tennessee Immigration and Refugee Rights Coalition)


    “There were a lot of people in the Knoxville community understandably that were very upset and were interested in demonstrating our support and love and our community commitment," said organizer Meghan Conley.

    Contrary to some claims, Grainger County schools haven't seen a jump in absences since the raid, Director of Schools Edwin Jarnagin said. Details on absences for neighboring Hamblen County weren't immediately available.


    "Our initial reports of absences that may be related to this are probably less than 10 percent," Jarnagin said. "We've had counselors and other faculty members on hand for students who need them."


    Churches, nonprofits call for action


    St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Morristown was among the houses of faith and community organizations offering Hispanic families help after the raid. Knoxville’s St. James Episcopal Church announced after the raid an offering would be taken at its Sunday services to go to St. Patrick’s Hispanic Emergency Fund.

    The nonprofit Hispanic Outreach Leadership Association of Lakeway, or HOLA Lakeway, in Morristown organized a GoFundMe page to help detainees’ families. In two days, 534 people raised $36,067 — more than $6,000 over HOLA Lakeway’s $30,000 goal.

    Bishop Richard F. Stika, whose Knoxville-based diocese includes Grainger and Hamblen counties, said in a statement the arrests “placed an unnecessary stress on vulnerable families.” He said a lack of “common-sense solutions” by government leaders about immigration means “families suffer and people live in the shadows.”


    Stika said he remains “inspired by the inspired by the tireless and faithful work of many volunteers who gathered to assist families at St. Patrick's to provide “services, food, water, personal supplies and love to all of the men, women and children who have been affected."


    “Over the past few days, I have said that our response to this incident isn't about politics or personal agendas. It's about being the face, hands, feet and heart of Jesus — at all times and to all people,” the bishop said.


    16-year-old Raul is trying to figure out how to tell his 2 year old sister that their mom, uncle, & aunt might be deported. Tennessee Immigration and Refugee Rights Coalition

    Paperwork and profits

    Agents held 86 people for checks on their immigration status after Thursday's raid, with 54 of those detained for further immigration proceedings, according to ICE. Another 10 face criminal charges in U.S. District Court for defying deportation orders. One worker faces state charges, with no further details given by ICE.

    Agents seized paper and electronic records as part of a federal probe into whether the plant's owners, James and Pamela Brantley, hired undocumented immigrants to duck turning in payroll taxes, court records show. The Brantleys haven't been charged.


    IRS Criminal Investigation Agent Nicholas R. Worsham wrote in a search warrant the Brantleys have been hiring undocumented immigrants since 2008 and hiding it from the IRS. The warrant claims the Brantleys used their daughter and other employees in the scheme, lied to the IRS about how much they paid themselves and American employees, filed false tax returns and exploited the plant's largely Hispanic and undocumented work force.


    Payroll and pollution

    The Brantleys withdrew more than $25 million in cash from bank accounts since 2008 “for payroll,” according to court records. The couple withdrew $10.9 million in cash from 2013 to 2016 but reported paying workers only $2.5 million to the IRS, according to the search warrant.

    The $8.4 million difference would translate to pocketing $2.5 million in unpaid taxes, Worsham wrote in the warrant.


    Records show Southeastern has a history of sanitation and safety violations. In March, the plant's septic system failed, leading to the contamination of well water in the surrounding area by coliform and E. coli bacteria.

    The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation ordered the plant to shut down its underground wastewater system and haul its waste to an offsite treatment facility.

    Residents were forced to use bottled water as authorities worked to help them install treatment or tie onto public water systems.

    https://www.knoxnews.com/story/news/...use/498527002/

    NO AMNESTY

    Don't reward the criminal actions of millions of illegal aliens by giving them citizenship.


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    Please support our fight against illegal immigration by joining ALIPAC's email alerts here https://eepurl.com/cktGTn

  2. #2
    Senior Member JohnDoe2's Avatar
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    NO AMNESTY

    Don't reward the criminal actions of millions of illegal aliens by giving them citizenship.


    Sign in and post comments here.

    Please support our fight against illegal immigration by joining ALIPAC's email alerts here https://eepurl.com/cktGTn

  3. #3
    Moderator Beezer's Avatar
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    Every single one of them can pay 100% of their medical care, food, housing, court costs and ALL costs these illegal aliens cost their community. They can pay the 30 GRAND for every birth an illegal gives in their County. Pay up in CASH! No free birthing for illegals...let the LOCAL residents get a portion of the bill. Send them each a percentage of the total invoice these illegals cost the local and State!

    They can also pay the back taxes for these "poor" criminal trespassers and the Employer matching.

    No Federal funds. Maybe these sanctuary cities should pay every dime out of THEIR paychecks and we will see how welcome they are.

    For all "sanctuary cities" and States...divide up the cost...send the bill to THIER home address of every citizen to pitch in and pay for them!

    CUT OFF ALL FREEBIES
    ILLEGAL ALIENS HAVE "BROKEN" OUR IMMIGRATION SYSTEM

    DO NOT REWARD THEM - DEPORT THEM ALL

  4. #4
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    Churches should stay out of this!
    http://www.apologeticspress.org/pdfs...pdf/imm-en.pdf

  5. #5
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    I no longer recognize my country. Law and order are rapidly disappearing. This is a worldwide movement to erase our cultures and sovereignty and turn us into homogenized drones to be used by the elites of the world. Maybe I am paranoid, but this is how I feel.

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