Officials release half of 12 immigrants arrested in Dunlap

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. Copyright 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. — Federal officials have released half of the 12 illegal immigrants arrested at the Mexico de Noche tavern in Dunlap on Dec. 17.

The men were arrested during a “bar check” done at the request of the Dunlap police and Sequatchie County sheriff’s departments.

“We were looking for gang members and other people that the local officers recognized as problem-makers,” Wayne Dickey, a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent, said Thursday.

Dickey said one of the six men held in Chattanooga had outstanding misdemeanor charges and that he and another man were identified as gang members by their tattoos. Two other men have overstayed their work visas, and another has an outstanding misdemeanor warrant, he said.

All 12 men could face deportation.

“If (those released) don’t show up for court, there will be an automatic warrant for deportation issued,” Dickey said.

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Information from: Chattanooga Times Free Press, http://www.timesfreepress.com