Tennessee ICE raid: Repeat deportees appear in federal court

Matt Lakin, USA TODAY NETWORK -- Tennessee Published 6:38 p.m. ET April 13, 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.Knoxville


(Photo: Travis Dorman / USA TODAY NETWORK - Tennessee)


The 10 Grainger County slaughterhouse workers accused of defying federal deportation orders face June trials in federal court.

Meanwhile, 54 others arrested in last week's raid by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents remain in a federal detention center in Louisiana waiting to learn whether they'll be deported, said Stephanie Teatro, co-executive director of the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition.

"They were shipped out of state the same day," Teatro said. "One family had five members picked up; another had three. We know of at least 60 children who had at least one person in their family picked up."

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How the raid began

Authorities have called the April 5 raid on Southeastern Provision in Bean Station, Tenn., the largest in a decade. Agents, aided by Tennessee Highway Patrol troopers, rounded up 97 people, including one wanted on state charges and 10 on federal immigration charges, according to ICE.

Those 10 appeared Friday in U.S. District Court in Greeneville. All had been either deported or ordered out of the country at least once before, according to court records. One, Virgen Mendoza-Perez, had been deported twice.

James Brantley is the owner of a Grainger County slaughterhouse, Southeastern Provision, that was targeted in a federal immigration raid. Brantley is pictured sitting in his pickup truck outside the plant on Monday, April 9, 2018. (Photo: Travis Dorman / USA TODAY NETWORK - Tennessee)


Court records show the raid originated from a federal probe of Southeastern's owners, James and Pamela Brantley, on suspicion of evading payroll taxes. Neither faces any charges.

The plant had a history of environmental violations and had been fined by the U.S. Department of Agriculture for "willfully" keeping inaccurate scales and underpaying farmers for meat.

State Sen. Jeff Yarbro, D-Nashville, has since introduced a bill to step up punishment for employers who knowingly hire undocumented immigrants.

A cloud of fear

The raid led to an outcry from local churches and advocates for immigration reform. Teatro said migrants around East Tennessee tell her they're terrified.

Stephanie Teatro, co-director of TIRRC, the Tennessee Immigrant & Refugee Rights Coalition (Photo: Submitted)

"The level of trauma in this community cannot be overstated," she said. "Many parents and children are wondering if they might be next."

Court records have shed little light on the individual stories of the workers arrested in the raid. The 10 who appeared in court Friday were:

  • 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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