Increased ICE activity causes panic in Berclair neighborhood

fox13memphis.com · By Kayla Solomon

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Why did federal agents raid a Berclair business on Tuesday?FOX13 showed you surveillance video from inside the cell phone store on Summer Avenue as agents entered with guns drawn.While that raid appeared to be centered on items inside the store, a family member confirmed to FOX13 at least one employee was taken into federal custody.Tuesday, FOX13 cameras captured agents loading boxes of items into a truck. The boxes were labeled "Apple" and "Department of Homeland Security evidence".Less than one mile away, FOX13 found out there was activity by Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, agents at a taco truck."They asked for an employee, but the employee was not here, so they asked, 'Where is he?' and they said, 'He's not here'. Nobody was taken," Maria Pellayo, manager of Taqueria Express told FOX13.She spoke to FOX13 as she arrived to try to open the food truck location on Summer Avenue and North Perkins Road."It's crazy. The sales are low, everything is crazy," Pellayo told FOX13. She said she has employees scared to come to work. Pellayo confirmed no one was arrested from the food truck.Memphis organization Vecindarios 901 said on Tuesday alone, there were more than 20 calls with tips into the hotline. "Yesterday was wild. It was one of the highest volume call days for us, for our hotline," Emily Fulmer, a volunteer with the group, said Wednesday.She said on top of responding to tips, volunteers with the organization are trained to confront ICE agents: "We try to talk to the agents who are there. We have a large group of incredible volunteers who are trained to safely and legally observe what's happening so they're trained to ask what is happening here? Do you have a warrant?"Fulmer said the group is constantly looking for new volunteers to help deal with the increased call volume. To learn more, you can find them on Facebook or call the tipline at 901-329-7979.