An investigation into suspected illegal gambling at a Memphis nightclub resulted in a massive immigration raid that led to the detention of 121 individuals by federal authorities, as per recent court filings.
US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) conducted the operation at El Corralón in Memphis, Berclair neighborhood around 1 a.m. on August 30 while state investigators were executing search warrants related to illegal gambling and narcotics.
Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) confirmed the seizure of drugs and evidence of illegal gambling at the nightclub. However, details were not disclosed due to the ongoing investigation.
Witnesses informed The New York Times that agents focused on gambling machines within the club and gathered patrons on the dance floor after halting the music.
Individuals without legal immigration status were detained and transported to ICE detention centers.
Gambling Machines, Cash Targeted
TBI sought assistance from ICE in identifying Marco Sabillon-Urbina, a Honduran national involved in criminal activities at El Corralón, according to federal court records analyzed by The New York Times.
A search warrant for the club was approved by a Shelby County judge on August 26 as part of the illegal gambling investigation, allowing searches for gambling machines, cash linked to gambling, and relevant records. Another warrant addressed suspected drug operations.
Sabillon-Urbina, detained during the raid, had previously held Temporary Protected Status but lost it in 2020. Following a prior federal case involving drugs and firearms, he was deported but re-entered the US and was deported again, based on federal records reviewed by The New York Times.
While TBI acknowledged the recovery of illegal gambling evidence, no formal charges related to gambling have been announced publicly. The investigation continues.
Scale of ICE Arrests Questioned
The Department of Homeland Security labeled the raid as “Operation Corral Light,” a multiagency targeted enforcement operation resulting in the arrest of 121 undocumented immigrants by ICE.
DHS highlighted specific detainees with prior arrests or convictions for offenses like larceny, cocaine possession, aggravated assault, domestic violence, and child endangerment.
The raid has faced criticism from civil liberties and immigrant rights organizations.
In a conversation with The Institute for Public Service Reporting Memphis, Lucas Cameron-Vaughn from the American Civil Liberties Union of Tennessee raised concerns about the legal basis for detaining and questioning individuals about their immigration status during the raid authorized for gambling and drug-related investigations.