On Tuesday, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a statement announcing that on Sunday, August 30, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) New Orleans field office conducted a multi-agency enforcement operation called “Corral Light” at the El Corralon nightclub in Memphis, resulting in the arrest of 121 illegal immigrants.
The arrested illegal immigrants in this joint operation had criminal records including theft, drug possession, domestic violence, driving under the influence, assault, child endangerment, and prostitution.
According to reports from Action News 5, the raid took place in the early hours of Sunday. Witnesses on Macon Road in the city saw individuals being bound with zip ties, loaded into buses and vans, with some identified as nightclub employees and others as customers.
State Representative Gabby Salinas (Democrat, 96th District) and other advocacy groups have raised concerns about the legality of ICE’s operation, claiming that customers and employees were not afforded due process during the execution of search warrants.
DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin stated, “ICE arrested over 120 illegal immigrants in a single day during the ‘Corral Light’ operation, including child abusers, drug traffickers, and violent offenders… removing them from our communities to make America safe once again.”
Scott Ladwig, Acting Field Office Director of Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) in New Orleans, emphasized that cracking down on illegal immigration and clearing communities of drug-related crime is a priority of the current administration. He reassured that enforcement officers will continue to uphold professionalism, protect public safety, and honor the trust the American people place in them.
(Reference: DHS official website, reports from ACTION NEWS 5)