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Thursday, April 21, 2011

Chuy's owners released without bond following ICE raid

by Stacey Delikat
azfamily.com
April 21, 2011

MESA, Ariz. - A day after more than a dozen Chuy's restaurants were shut down amidst a federal immigration raid, dozens who were lawfully employed by the chain are now out of work.

On Wednesday U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents raided Chuy's locations in Arizona and California,arresting more than 40 undocumented workers including the restaurants father-son owners, Mark and Christopher Evenson. The chain's accountant, Diane Strehlow, was also taken into custody.

All three appeared in federal court Tuscon on Thursday to face charges ranging from harboring of illegal immigrants to tax evasion. A judge granted them release from jail without bond on the condition they return to court later this month.

Rachel Schooley, of Mesa, worked for Chuy's Mesquite Grill chain for more than eight years and was shocked to learn of the raids and arrests.

"It's just very devastating to me because its more of a home. We were all friends and family, we were there for each other," she said.

Schooley has a 1-year-old daughter and another baby on the way and is now worried about finding a new job. She says neither she nor any of her other co-workers have recieved any official nothttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifice from the restaurant.

http://www.azfamily.com/news/Chuys-owners-released-without-bond-120431734.html#