A manager at a McDonald’s in New York was detained by immigration authorities earlier this week, even though he reportedly had a valid U.S. work visa. The arrest came just before the restaurant’s annual company picnic.
Christian Rodriguez, who has worked at the Oceanside, Long Island branch for several years, reportedly has a Social Security number, according to Newsday.
A Department of Homeland Security (DHS) spokesperson told Newsweek, “Christian Emmanuel Rodriguez Torrealba, a criminal illegal alien from Venezuela, entered the U.S. on a B-2 tourist visa that required him to leave by June 3, 2016. Nearly 10 years later, he is still illegally in the U.S. Rodriguez’s criminal history includes convictions for battery and property damage crimes. ICE arrested this illegal alien on August 21, 2025.
“President Donald Trump and Secretary Kristi Noem have been clear: criminal illegal aliens are not welcome in the United States.”
Newsweek has contacted McDonald’s for comment.
Why It Matters
President Trump has instructed his administration to remove millions of migrants without legal status as part of his campaign promise of mass deportation. The White House has said anyone living in the U.S. unlawfully is considered a criminal under the current administration.
What To Know
A co-worker, who asked to remain anonymous, told Newsday that Rodriguez was taken into custody by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents after attending a hearing about his immigration application in Bethpage, New York, on August 21.
He had previously attended another hearing on August 7, which colleagues believed went in his favor, the outlet reported.
On the day of the second hearing, around 2 p.m.—the time he was supposed to be at the company picnic—Rodriguez texted a co-worker saying his application had been denied and that ICE had arrested him, according to the outlet.
Rodriguez was then transported to Central Islip, where ICE appears to be taking detainees to the federal courthouse, Newsday reported.
A resident of the nearby town of Baldwin, Rodriguez came to the United States in December 2015 on a tourist visa. His immigration “notice to appear” stated that he could be removed for staying past the permitted period on his visa, according to the outlet.
Some experts have raised concerns about the economic effects of the president’s mass removal policy. Immigrants, both documented and undocumented, made up 20 percent of U.S. workers at the start of the year. By June, that number had dropped to 19 percent, a loss of more than 750,000 workers, according to the nonpartisan Pew Research Center.
What Happens Next
Rodriguez will remain in ICE custody while removal proceedings continue.
