Seven Arrested in Immigration and Fraud Operation at Albertville Restaurant

ALBERTVILLE, Ala. — Seven individuals in the country illegally were taken into custody Friday during a coordinated law enforcement operation at Chow King Buffet & Grill in Albertville, according to the Marshall County Sheriff’s Office.

The investigation began with a fraud warrant for Xu Feng, a Chinese national wanted in New York. Authorities say Feng had fled the state and was working at the Albertville restaurant when he was located. He was confirmed to be in the United States illegally.

The Department of Homeland Security referred the warrant to local authorities, prompting the Marshall County Sheriff’s Office to partner with the Gulf of America Homeland Task Force and Albertville Police to execute the arrest. Feng was taken into custody without incident and booked into the Marshall County Jail, where he remains on both the New York warrant and an ICE detainer. He is expected to be extradited to New York to face charges.

During the arrest, six other individuals were identified as being in the country illegally. Homeland Security officers determined that three were Guatemalan nationals and three were Mexican nationals. All six were taken into ICE custody and transported to the Etowah County Sheriff’s Office, a regional ICE detention facility.

According to the Sheriff’s Office, when a lawful arrest is made and there is reasonable suspicion of other individuals being present illegally, immigration authorities have the authority to verify status. Local officials noted this operation is part of ongoing collaborative efforts with federal agencies to identify and remove individuals with criminal records or illegal immigration status from the community.

The operation concluded without incident and further similar efforts are planned in the coming months.