MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WTVF) —
Update September 2, 2026
The United States Department of Homeland Security released a statement about the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operation they referred to as "Operation Corral Light" at a Memphis nightclub. ICE said they arrested 121 "illegal aliens during a multi-agency targeted enforcement operation" at the El Corralon nightclub. They claim the operation resulted in the arrests of illegal alien offenders with criminal histories that include larceny, drug possession, domestic violence, driving while intoxicated, assault, child endangerment and prostitution.
"Thanks to President Trump's leadership, crime in the city of Memphis has plummeted. A big part of that success comes from arresting and deporting illegal aliens in the city. Through Operation Corral Light, ICE arrested more than 120 illegal aliens in a single day, including child abusers, drug traffickers and violent assailants. Under the Trump administration, the brave men and women of ICE have been unleashed to remove illegal aliens from our communities and make America safe again," said DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin.
The release included the names of five people identified as "criminal illegal aliens" from either Honduras or Mexico. ICE claims these fives have either been arrested for or convicted of serious crimes including larceny, prostitution, child endangerment, driving under the influence, aggravated assault, domestic violence and cocaine possession.
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One of the largest ICE raids in Memphis history is raising questions over how a search warrant turned into more than 100 people detained overnight.
Videos and photos shared by immigrant rights group Vecindarios 901 showed busloads of people taken away after they were zip-tied outside Memphis bar El Corralon.
WATCH: Memphis ICE raid raises questions
Volunteers from the group raced over to gather as many names and contacts as possible. They later posted a video on Facebook in which they said federal and local law enforcement tried to manipulate volunteers into deleting anything they had recorded.
Volunteers said that in some cases, ICE agents gave people a chance to prove their legal status, but when that took too long, agents rounded up everyone they could.
The group counted more than 100 people detained by ICE, with some taken roughly 30 minutes away to Mason, Tennessee, and others taken to Louisiana.
Volunteers spent the last couple of days picking up several people who have since been released after showing proof of legal status.
The group was told the operation began as a search warrant by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation over allegations of illegal gambling and drug activity at the bar.
"Vecindarios 901 does not support businesses promoting criminal activities. We also do NOT support the unconstitutional, unlawful search and detention of over 100 friends and family members without due process," the group wrote.
The group went on to call El Corralon, a neighborhood establishment that "served people, many of them immigrants already living in fear after one year of living under the (UN) Safe Task Force, uninvolved in any criminal enterprise."
Attorneys told NewsChannel 5 Investigates a search warrant is typically limited to just the building, and for anyone to be detained, they would have to be involved in whatever criminal activity is under investigation. NewsChannel 5 Investigates has requested the search warrant.
Other agencies on scene included Tennessee Highway Patrol and Memphis Police, but Memphis Mayor Paul Young said none of his officers were involved in anything other than to provide crowd control after the fact.
"I know that distinction does not erase the fear people are feeling today," Young said. "There are questions we do not yet have answers to, particularly about actions taken by federal authorities. But I can assure you of this: the people impacted by what happened this morning are our neighbors. They are part of our Memphis community, and they deserve to be treated with dignity."
Memphis Police later said no arrests were made and there was no property damage reported.
NewsChannel 5 Investigates is still working to confirm in what capacity Tennessee Highway Patrol may have been involved, and whether it is anything like the ICE operation in Nashville last spring, where roughly 600 traffic stops were made over 6 days.
ICE said to expect more details as they become available. Requests have also been made to THP, and a response is pending.
In the meantime, a protest is planned for Wednesday at Richland Hills Park, just down the road from the ICE facility in Mason run by CoreCivic.
