ICE Agents Storm D.C. Restaurants and Demand To Interrogate Employees: ‘Pretty Unnerving’

AP Photo/Alex Brandon

Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents raided several Washington, D.C. restaurants on Tuesday in a crackdown on undocumented immigrants, according to The Washingtonian.

The outlet reported that Millie’s, Pupatella, Chef Geoff’s, and Chang Chang were among the eateries targeted by the feds. Geoff’s is owned by Geoff Tracy, who is the husband of former CBS Evening News host Norah O’Donnell. At Millie’s, eight or nine agents entered the restaurant as it was opening for lunch.

“They all came in all of the public entrances at the same time,” owner Bo Blair said.

The Washingtonian further reported that agents demanded to speak with the staff at Millie’s, whose general manager called the experience “pretty unnerving”:

The general manager met the agents, who provided a “notice of inspection” and asked to question employees. The manager said they couldn’t, and they did not push back. They asked for I-9 forms, which the restaurant keeps securely at its corporate office, not at the restaurant.

“They made it pretty public that they’re coming back to the restaurant on Monday [to collect the forms], which is pretty unnerving to the staff, obviously,” says the group’s CEO Marisa Casey. She says she is asking them not to come back to the restaurants because the documents are not kept there. “We also don’t want them to go back to our restaurants scare everybody.”

Voice of America correspondent Steve Herman reported on Tuesday that the Al Dente restaurant was also targeted.

The raids come as President Donald Trump seeks to deliver on his campaign promise to arrest and deport undocumented immigrants. In March, the administration deported more than 230 men to El Salvador, where they are being incarcerated without due process.