U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials reportedly arrested three staff members at a Mexican restaurant outside Minneapolis, Minnesota, Thursday night, hours after they had lunch at the restaurant.
The four ICE officers ate at El Tapatio, a family restaurant in Willmar, Minnesota, about 85 miles west of Minneapolis, according to witnesses who spoke to the Minnesota Star Tribune.
Witnesses, who took pictures inside the restaurant and video of the arrests, said staff looked “terrified”. Hours later bystanders said they saw ICE officers arresting three restaurant staff members near Willmar High School and a Lutheran church. According to witnesses, the officers followed the workers after the restaurant closed for the evening
Bystanders who witnessed the arrests whistled and yelled at the officers, “Would your mother be proud of what you’re doing now?”, according to the Minnesota Star Tribune. It is not clear who those arrested are nor what was the reason for their arrest.
Chaos in several cities
Thousands of federal agents from the Department of Homeland Security have been sent to Minnesota to step up operations against immigrant communities the administration accuses of abusing US social services and engaging in widespread fraud.
The immigration operation, known as “Operation Metro Surge,” has caused chaos in cities as violent incidents between citizens and ICE officers have increased. Protests have continued across the state since last week, when ICE officer
