Ema Alice: The local community in Willmar, Minnesota, is in a state of shock after a routine lunch service at a popular family-owned restaurant ended in a targeted federal sweep.
On Thursday evening, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents arrested three employees of El Tapatio, a Mexican restaurant located about 85 miles west of Minneapolis, just hours after the officers were served lunch at the establishment. The operation began in a deceptively casual manner around 3 p.m., when four ICE officers occupied a booth at the restaurant. While the agents ate, the atmosphere behind the counter shifted instantly. Witnesses told the Minnesota Star Tribune that the staff appeared “frightened” as they realized who was sitting in the dining room.
“The energy in the room completely changed,” one witness noted. “It’s one thing to do a job, but it’s another to sit there, take the service, and then wait to take the people who served you.”
The situation escalated later that night. Around 8:30 p.m., shortly after the restaurant closed its doors, bystanders witnessed the agents intercepting three staff members near Willmar Middle School and a local Lutheran church. It appeared the officers had followed the employees after they clocked out for the evening.
The arrests did not happen quietly. Local residents who witnessed the scene began blowing whistles and shouting at the officers to voice their disapproval. One bystander was heard yelling, “Would your mama be proud of you right now?” as the agents took the workers into custody. “To eat at a family business and then hunt the staff down hours later feels like a betrayal of the community’s trust,” a local resident shared. “People are scared, and they have every right to be.”
As of now, the names of the individuals arrested have not been released, and the specific reasons for the enforcement action remain unclear.
Willmar is a significant cultural hub in Kandiyohi County, with a population of approximately 21,000 residents. The city is known for its diversity; according to 2020 census data, 40% of the population are people of color, with one-third identifying as Hispanic.
This incident has sparked intense conversation regarding the tactics used by federal agents in high-density immigrant communities.
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