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One year later: Grainger Co. cattle farmer feels ICE raid impact

A cattle farmer says the closing of Southeastern Provisions last year hit the industry hard. But county leaders say the community hasn't felt the impact.

RUTLEDGE, Tenn. — A year ago today, ICE agents raided a Grainger County meatpacking plant and detained almost 100 people.

The Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition said since then, 13 left the country on their own.  Six were deported.

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The Coalition believes five are still in federal custody and 73 are home with their families, fighting deportation.

The raid happened at Southeastern Provisions, between Bean Station and Rutledge.

Grainger County cattle farmer David Mitchell says the closure of Southeastern Provisions is hitting his fellow farmers hard.

RELATED: Cattle farmers worry ICE raid will cripple farming economy

"What it's changed is the fact that you don't have any place to sell these cull cows," Mitchell said.

Mitchell said since the raid, the cattle industry in this part of the state has taken a big hit.

"It probably cost everybody $100, $150 a cow, maybe more," Mitchell said. "It changed everybody's bottom line when you sell a cull cow."

He says farmers from as far as Ohio don't have a place to take their cows for slaughter because nearly 100 workers lost their job.

RELATED: Southeastern Provision owner agrees to plead guilty to charges after ICE raid

"They were working, and doing a good job, and they were spending the money in Hamblen County and Jefferson County and Grainger County," Mitchell said. "It made a big impact on a lot of things when you take 100 employees away."

While cattle farmers are feeling the lingering impacts, the mayors of Bean Station and Grainger County say they haven't felt a huge impact financially.

Rutledge mayor Speck Sykes agrees.

"Very little effect--minimal effect, if any," Sykes said. "It's just like anything that happens in town. Two or three days and everyone goes about their own business. And it goes away."

Sykes says a couple of businesses in Rutledge did close in the last year--Jarnigan Ford Dealership and the local grocery store.

But he says those closures were unrelated to the raid.

"I see no reason why it would affect us in any way," Sykes said.

For Mitchell, he hopes the meatpacking plant can recover.

"I'm just hoping that it can open back up soon," Mitchell said.

Mitchell said the owner of Southeastern Provisions says he hopes to be back open in the next couple of weeks.

RELATED: Civil rights groups allege ICE agents violated Bean Station workers' rights in raid

RELATED: State hits Grainger County slaughterhouse with more than $41K in fines

10News reached out to the USDA to see if the plant is working to reopen.

We are still waiting to hear back.

Saturday, the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition is hosting a gathering for workers and first responders to reflect on the raid one year later. 

That's at 2:30 at St. Patrick's Catholic Church.

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