WILLMAR, Minn. A routine lunchtime visit by federal immigration agents to a small Mexican restaurant in central Minnesota culminated in the arrest of the eatery’s manager and two other workers this week, drawing sharp criticism from community members and immigrant-rights advocates.
On Wednesday, January 14, four officers with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) stopped for lunch at El Tapatio, a family-owned Mexican restaurant in Willmar. Several hours after the meal — once the restaurant had closed for the day — ICE agents detained three employees, including the restaurant’s manager, identified by supporters as José Rosario Gómez Gallardo.
Federal officials said the operation was part of a larger enforcement effort in the state, known as Operation Metro Surge, targeting individuals with prior immigration violations. According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), agents had been conducting surveillance on a specific person of interest believed to be at the restaurant during lunch. The agency said they later arrested him and two others in a nearby vehicle.
But the sequence of events — eating at the restaurant, waiting until after closing, and then making arrests as staff left the premises — has alarmed local residents and civil-rights groups.
“It was chilling,” said one community member who witnessed agents detaining workers near a nearby church and middle school. “They came in like any normal customers, then went straight to rounding up people once the doors closed.”
Bystanders confronted the agents, blowing whistles and questioning the detentions as they unfolded on the quiet Main Street.
The restaurant closed early on the day of the visit, according to staff, and several customers said they were startled when they heard what had happened.
“It’s a place where families come together,” said a regular customer. “Now people are scared to go there.”
Local immigrant advocacy groups have sharply criticized ICE’s tactics. “Using a meal as a pretext for surveillance and arrest undermines trust in our community,” said a representative from a regional immigrant support network.
Legal experts have also weighed in. “While ICE has broad authority to enforce federal immigration laws, the optics of this type of operation — particularly in a small town — raise questions about community harm and the chilling effect on immigrant-owned businesses,” said an attorney specializing in immigration law.
DHS defended the operation, saying the arrests were targeted and based on investigative leads. In a brief statement, the agency said that agents identified a specific individual with existing immigration violations and acted when the opportunity presented itself.
ICE spokespeople have declined to comment in detail on the timing of the arrests, citing operational concerns.
The incident comes amid heightened tensions over immigration enforcement in Minnesota, where federal authorities have recently expanded operations into smaller cities and towns. It also follows public protests in the Minneapolis area over a fatal shooting involving an ICE agent late last year.
As discussions over immigration policy continue at both state and national levels, the Willmar restaurant arrests are likely to add fuel to debates over enforcement tactics and community relations.