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Community members describe Morristown as "somber" days after ICE raid

The people of Morristown are waiting to see what effects the recent ICE raid will have on the city.

An Immigration raid on a meat packing factory in Grainger County has some people in Morristown wondering what's next.

"It's very emotional being it involves kids, women and human beings," Faustino Hernandez, a business owner in Morristown, said.

ICE agents found nearly 100 workers that were "subject to removal from the United States."

Now, some people in the Hispanic community are noticing what they call "a ghost town."

"The town was quiet as far as people being out shopping as consumers," Faustino Hernandez said.

As family members wait to hear what will happened to their loved ones, St. Patrick Catholic Church in Morristown is serving as central hub for donations and supplies.

Katie Hudson is a local school teacher and was doing what she could do to help by donating supplies. She said the town definitely doesn't feel the same.

"It depends on who you ask. A lot of teachers at school were very somber and the kids were talking among themselves and they were very scared," Katie Hudson said.

In the middle of the chaos, some people of Morristown are most impressed with is the support.

"As far as the community coming together I've never see it and I've been here 25 years," Faustino Hernandez said.

"I have been encouraged by people showing up who had no personal connection," Katie Hudson said.

While some people said this will cause a "wave of fear" that could stick around for years to come,

Hudson believes that's hard to imagine after seeing how the community came together.

Faith leaders and the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition are holding a press conference at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Morristown on April 7 at 10 a.m. to "condemn these raids and their hurtful impact on community members."

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