The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) told The Tennessee Star on Tuesday that more than 120 illegal aliens were arrested on August 30 at the Memphis nightclub, El Corralón, during a multi-agency operation led by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
DHS told The Star that Operation Corral Light resulted in arrests of illegal aliens with prior criminal history, including arrests or convictions for “larceny, drug possession, domestic violence, driving while intoxicated, assault, child endangerment, and prostitution.”
Secretary Markwayne Mullin credited the leadership of President Donald Trump for the plummeting crime rate in Memphis in a statement that stressed the importance of deportations in fighting crime.
“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,” said Mullin.
Mullin stated, “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.”
Scott Ladwig, the Acting Field Office Director for the ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations office responsible for Tennessee, said enforcement actions like Operation Corral Light are a vital part of the agency’s activities.
“This criminal enforcement operation to arrest illegal aliens and eliminate drug activity in our community is part of the highest priorities of this administration,” said Ladwig. “Our officers remain committed to enforcing the law professionally, protecting the public, and upholding the trust placed in us by the American people.”
The agency highlighted five of those arrested, including Ricard N. Rodriguez, who it described as a criminal illegal alien from Honduras with a previous conviction for larceny, and an arrest for commercial sex – homosexual prostitution.
Sergio Vieyra Torres, who DHS said described as a criminal illegal alien from Mexico, was previously arrested for child endangerment and driving while under the influence of liquor.
DHS identified Maryari Pamela Lopez Urvina as a criminal illegal alien from Honduras who was previously arrested for aggravated assault.
Jeronima Giron Cisneros, who DHS also identified as a criminal illegal alien from Honduras, was previously arrested for domestic violence.
Miguel Galeas Rodriguez, the fourth identified by DHS as a criminal illegal alien from Honduras, has a criminal history that “includes a conviction for cocaine possession.”
In a statement, DHS told The Star that it continues to recommend illegal aliens take advantage of the CBP Home App to voluntarily leave the United States. Those who agree to “self-deport” receive $2,600 and a free flight, according to DHS.
“We encourage every person here illegally to take advantage of this offer. If not, you will be arrested and deported without a chance to return,” said the agency.
Activists with Vecindarios 901, a Memphis group that has previously organized or rallied with the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) and Black Lives Matter, have claimed this was the single largest immigration enforcement action ever recorded in Memphis.
“Agents arrived with a search warrant for the premises based on an investigation regarding gambling machines and alleged drug activity,” the activists claimed in a post to social media. “In the end, they rounded up over 100 people, creating a painful chaos for the many families and children that arrived upon hearing the news.”
In a Monday statement, ICE told The Star that Operation Corral Light was a “multi-agency targeted enforcement operation.” The activists claimed that the Memphis Police Department and members of the Memphis Safe Task Force (MSTF) also participated.
A report released in January by the Tennessee District Attorneys General Conference found that more than 11,000 illegal aliens were arrested or convicted in the Volunteer State last year.
In May, ICE said that 117 illegal aliens were arrested as the result of another enforcement operation, this time in East Tennessee. Last year, nearly 200 were arrested in Nashville during a joint operation between ICE and Tennessee Highway Patrol.
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Tom Pappert is a 2025 recipient of the Dao Prize and the lead reporter for The Tennessee Star. He also reports for the Star News Network. Follow Tom on X. Email tips to [email protected].
