Three employees of a Minnesota restaurant are arrested by ICE agents after they eat lunch there

Community Members Address Officers After “Deceptive” Willmar Operation

After a typical lunch service at a well-known family-owned restaurant resulted in a targeted federal sweep, the local community in Willmar, Minnesota, is in a state of shock.

Just hours after the police had lunch at El Tapatio, a Mexican restaurant about 85 miles west of Minneapolis, three employees were taken into custody by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials on Thursday night.

Around 3 p.m., four ICE officials set up shop in a restaurant booth, setting off the operation in a deceptively informal manner. The atmosphere behind the counter changed instantly as the agents ate. The staff seemed “frightened” when they realized who was seated in the dining area, according to witnesses who spoke with the Minnesota Star Tribune.

One witness said, “The energy in the room completely changed.” “Working is one thing, but sitting there and waiting to take the people who served you is quite another.”

Later that night, things became more heated. Bystanders saw the agents apprehend three employees close to Willmar Middle School and a nearby Lutheran church about 8:30 p.m., just after the restaurant had closed. After the workers left for the evening, it seemed the officers had followed them.

The arrests were not made in silence. To express their disgust, locals who were watching the scene started yelling and blowing whistles at the officers. As the authorities hauled the workers into prison, one bystander could be heard shouting, “Would your mama be proud of you right now?”

A local neighbor said, “It feels like a betrayal of the community’s trust to eat at a family business and then hunt the staff down hours later.” “People have every right to be afraid.”

The names of those detained have not yet been made public, and it is yet unknown why the enforcement action was taken.

With a population of over 21,000, Willmar is a major cultural center in Kandiyohi County. The city is well-known for its diversity; 40% of its residents are people of color, and one-third identify as Hispanic, according to data from the 2020 census.

The strategies employed by federal officials in densely populated immigrant areas have been the subject of great discussion since this occurrence.