Buona Forchetta reopens following workplace enforcement operation
'We came to support Matteo. I mean, we've been a customer of Buona Forchetta since 2014 when we first moved to San Diego,' said Dale Haas, a long-time customer.
Haas and Jason Gagnom were among the first to eat at the restaurant Wednesday after immigration officials conducted a workplace enforcement operation at the business.
PREVIOUS: Buona Forchetta to close temporarily following ICE raid in South Park
Federal agents were met with community members protesting their investigation. The raid ended with flashbangs and a shaken-up community.
'It was just unnecessary. The way this was done was just absolutely unnecessary,' said Gagnom.
They say they know all the employees at the South Park location where the raid happened feel like something happened to their family.
'They've invited us for Christmas, we've spent special occasions, birthdays…I would say hundreds of times we've come here…holidays,' they said. 'We always feel like this is a family place. Anytime we have guests in town, we always bring them to Buona Forchetta.'
Outrage and solidarity after ICE raid shakes South Park restaurant
The search warrant released this week shows the investigation dates back to 2020, when Homeland Security Investigations received a tip that the restaurant's owner was hiring immigrants in the country illegally and asking them to work long hours.
Homeland Security Investigations received another tip in January, accusing the restaurant of hiring people in the country illegally and using fake names on work schedules.
Investigators say that the restaurant submitted fraudulent green cards when asked to turn over employee I-9 forms.
As a result of the raid, at least two employees were taken into ICE custody.
'We believe in what Trump is doing and his message is, 'We're not going to stand for it,'' said Pedro Gonzalez, a customer.
While Gonzalez said he supports the Trump administration's immigration crackdown, he was thinking of the restaurant while in town and wanted to support it.
'Every business has an overhead cost and just because unfortunately, they had people working they maybe or maybe not…we don't know…shouldn't have been working here, we don't know that,' he said. 'Of course, that's going to be determined at a later date, but we're still going to support the business. It has amazing food.'
In a statement released Monday, Buona Forchetta said it received a copy of the warrant and is in the process of reviewing it with its legal counsel.
It said it will provide further comment as appropriate after review.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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