Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents have carried out a major enforcement operation in Minnesota in recent weeks, drawing intense criticism from some residents and support from others aligned with the Trump administration.
The heightened tension has also come amid public outrage following the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good roughly two weeks ago. Protests have since taken place in St. Paul and Minneapolis, with many calling for greater accountability around federal immigration enforcement actions. At the same time, supporters of the crackdown have praised the arrests as a step toward removing undocumented immigrants.
Now, The Minnesota Star Tribune is reporting an incident in west-central Minnesota that has further inflamed local concerns.
Agents reportedly returned hours after lunch to make arrests
According to the newspaper, four ICE agents ate lunch at El Tapaito, a Mexican restaurant in Willmar, Minnesota, around 3 p.m. local time on January 14.
The agents allegedly returned later that evening. At about 8:30 p.m., after the restaurant had closed, employees were arrested near a local church, The Minnesota Star Tribune reported. The outlet said bystanders confronted the agents during the arrests, including one person who asked, “Would your mama be proud of you right now?” while others reportedly blew whistles.
DHS says agents were surveilling a “target”
In a statement provided to Unilad, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said the agents had been conducting surveillance of a “target,” described as an “illegal alien from Mexico.”
DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said officers saw the target’s vehicle outside a local business and later identified him inside. After that identification, she said, officers conducted a vehicle stop later in the day and apprehended the target along with two other people in the car—one of whom, she said, had a final order of removal from an immigration judge.
DHS also promoted the CBP Home app, saying it encourages undocumented immigrants to leave voluntarily with a “free flight home” and a “$1,000 stipend,” and claimed this could allow people to return to the U.S. through legal channels in the future.
Some businesses reportedly closed amid raids
CBS reported that El Tapaito is among several businesses that have temporarily closed amid the enforcement activity. A 20-year-old told the outlet his parents—who own the restaurant—have been detained. The report said the restaurant plans to reopen on Saturday.
