ICE Restaurant Raids Target Immigrant Businesses Nationwide, Creating Climate of Fear
Just one week after the tragic killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minnesota, Americans were confronted with another disturbing incident that captured national attention. Four Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents dined at a Minnesota Mexican restaurant, only to return hours later to conduct a raid on the same establishment. This stunning display of hypocrisy highlighted a growing pattern of enforcement actions targeting immigrant-owned businesses across the United States.
Yet this high-profile case represents just one of many similar incidents, most of which remain unreported to the public. Since President Donald Trump began deploying aggressive ICE forces to blue cities across America in June, immigrant-owned businesses have faced increasing targeting—a reality confirmed by organizations including 50501 Georgia.
Silence Born of Fear
Ashna Khanna, executive director of the Asian American Advocacy Fund, explains the chilling effect these enforcement actions create. "Because of fear of retaliation and deportation among workers, many encounters go unreported publicly," Khanna reveals. Instead, information circulates "anecdotally through community groups, worker centers and mutual aid networks rather than official statistics."
This climate of fear is so pervasive that for this story, every single chef-owner and restaurateur consulted—spanning gender, race, and including both naturalized and multigenerational American citizens—declined to speak on the record, even anonymously, citing legitimate safety concerns.
Meanwhile, tourist boards from various regions, including areas outside major deployment cities, confirm anonymously that "ethnic" restaurants have been raided both before and during regular business hours. The American Immigration Council reported last month that federal law enforcement has increased arrests by 600%, while detainment—regardless of criminal record or cause—has surged by 75%.
Messages of Support Amid Enforcement
Last month, messages of support appeared on the front door of a Mexican restaurant in White Bear Lake, Minnesota, after ICE agents descended on the area. This visible solidarity underscores how easily individuals can find themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time during enforcement actions, prompting many to wonder: What should you do during a raid?
Essential Guidance During ICE Raids
1. Know Your Rights
The American Civil Liberties Union remains the leading authority for guidance on best practices during raids, trusted by officials including Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens' Office of International and Immigrant Affairs. Their Know Your Rights page provides crucial scenario-based guidance.
"Knowing your rights ahead of time helps people respond calmly if they ever encounter a situation such as a raid," Khanna emphasizes. Immigration attorney Victoria Slatton clarifies a fundamental principle: "ICE does not have the right to enter private areas of a business without a judicial warrant."
Refusing agent entry into private spaces like kitchens, offices, or storage areas without proper identification and a warrant falls well within a restaurant owner or manager's rights. Should agents enter beyond public dining areas without consent, their entry constitutes a violation, making documentation through photos or video advisable.
All individuals in the U.S., regardless of citizenship status, maintain specific rights:
- The right to remain silent beyond basic self-identification
- The right to peacefully express views
- The right to refuse signing documents they don't understand
- The right to seek legal counsel if pressured
Noel Nichols, director of marketing and communications for 50501 Georgia, adds that individuals have the right to ask to see the warrant serving as the basis for arrest. Felipe Garcia, president and CEO of Visit Tucson, advises: "Make sure you know your resources, using the tools and community hotlines provided by the city you're visiting."
2. Should You Stay or Should You Go?
"There is no 'right' social response to a stressful and unpredictable situation—people should do what they feel safest doing in the moment," Khanna states. Both she and Slatton agree that immediate safety takes precedence.
"If someone believes they could be at risk of detention," whether due to profiling or immigration status, Slatton explains, "the safest option is to calmly and quietly remove themselves if possible. Avoid running or drawing attention and just leave in a normal, nonconfrontational way." All advocacy groups interviewed emphasized the importance of calm discretion.
For diners choosing to leave, practical considerations apply. If possible, ask for the check. Otherwise, pay an estimation of your bill and gratuity in cash if available, or return later to settle your account. As Garcia notes, we should "do what is fair to the restaurant owners," particularly during what clearly constitutes a difficult day.
"That said, these situations can be unpredictable, and we have seen an increase in the use of force during some enforcement actions," Slatton cautions. Individuals can always change their mind and depart quietly.
3. What To Do (And What Not To Do) If You Stay
To protect restaurant workers, Khanna recommends several proactive measures:
- Post Know Your Rights information in common areas in languages spoken by staff and patrons
- Provide staff training emphasizing calm responses and proper warrant requests
- Ensure every staff member has an emergency contact on file
- Avoid keeping unnecessary personal or immigration-related documents on site
"ICE often looks for records during enforcement actions," Khanna notes, "and keeping only what is legally required can reduce risk."
For diners who remain, "The most important role bystanders can play is being witnesses and helping ensure the person taken into custody is not forgotten," Slatton asserts. Documentation creates accountability that can prove crucial in later court proceedings.
"If it is legal in your state, you can record video," she advises—from at least ten feet away, Garcia adds—"take notes about the time, location, and number of agents, and look for badge numbers or agency names. That information can be very helpful to attorneys and family members later."
When recording, keep hands visible, narrate quietly, and maintain continuous recording for clarity. Nichols suggests continuing until all agents have departed in their vehicles, capturing shots of cars and license plates.
"ICE agents may not confiscate your phone or demand that you not photograph or video them," Nichols clarifies. "If they make requests that are not legal, you will have to decide based on your comfort level whether to comply or assert your rights." Should this occur, she recommends reporting the incident to local community groups.
Understanding Legal Limitations
If situations escalate to physical confrontation, Slatton warns: "Your rights to defend yourself are very limited when law enforcement is involved. You cannot use force against officers, even if you believe the arrest or detention is unjust or aggressive."
"Intervening is automatically 'obstruction' at minimum and allows ICE to justify any amount of force they may take in response," Nichols adds. This can lead to criminal charges regardless of officer conduct and "is sure to escalate the situation," endangering everyone present.
Such actions can also negatively impact individuals you might intend to protect during their legal proceedings. "Courts generally expect people to challenge misconduct later through legal channels, not in the moment," Slatton explains. "And even though ICE doesn't have jurisdiction over U.S. citizens on paper, civilians cannot interfere with an arrest."
Slatton continues: "If an officer uses force, the safest legal option is to stay calm, avoid escalation and comply as much as possible while clearly stating you do not consent and wish to remain silent."
After the Incident
Following departure from a raid scene, Slatton suggests customers report incidents to local immigrant rights hotlines or rapid response networks. Nichols adds that notifying surrounding businesses and neighborhoods about ongoing enforcement allows businesses with vulnerable employees to lock doors or send workers home.
Perhaps most importantly, continue supporting local restaurants. "One important thing to keep in mind is that many immigrants right now are struggling with their normal day-to-day routines," Slatton observes. "Some are afraid to leave their homes. That fear has ripple effects. Local restaurants and small businesses, many of which rely on immigrant workers and customers, are likely feeling the impact."
"Being intentional about where you spend your money can make a difference," she concludes. "Supporting local, immigrant-owned or -staffed businesses is a practical way to show solidarity and help keep those community spaces alive."
