Ten people from Mexico and Guatemala detained during a federal raid of a Grainger County slaughterhouse are set to appear Friday before a U.S. magistrate judge in Greeneville.
Records show nine are men and one is a woman. Six are from Mexico; four are from Guatemala.
Nine previously had been deported, records show. Eight are charged under immigration laws with re-entering the United States after being ordered out, and two are charged with failing to leave after being ordered to go, records show.
The woman, Virgen Mendoza-Perez, of Mexico, pleaded guilty in 2014 in Greeneville to illegally coming back into the U.S. She'd previously been deported in 2009 on a conviction in Florida of felony child abuse, records show.
Federal authorities detained the 10 on Thursday after raiding Southeastern Provisions LLC, also identified as Southeastern Provision, on Helton Road near Bean Station. The investigation stemmed from a tip that Southeastern principals including owner James Brantley had been paying undocumented employees cash to avoid payroll and tax obligations.
The plant employees about 100 people, according to state records.
According to records signed by Department of Homeland Security agents including Theodore Francisco, agents serving a search warrant at the slaughterhouse Thursday "encountered numerous persons who were unable to speak English and/or couldn't provide authentic identification documents..."
Church leaders and immigration advocates say the raid has disrupted families. Others, however, welcome the detention of people who are in East Tennessee illegally.
The 10 now facing charges in U.S. District Court in Greeneville generally were deported from U.S. locations such as Laredo, Texas, New Orleans, Nogales, Ariz., and Phoenix, Ariz., records show.
They are to appear 1:30 p.m. Friday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Clifton L. Corker, records show.
The men are identified as Jose Roblero-Bravo; Miguel Silva-Silva; David Perez-Bartelon; Marvin Oriel Marroquin-Lopez; Virgen Mendoz-Perez; Domingo Gregorio-Domingo; Evelio Alejandro Bravo-Arreaga; Antonio Garcia-Martin; Pabo Tivurcio-Lopez; and Mateo Gomez-Pablo.