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Miami Herald
24-06-2025
- Politics
- Miami Herald
As ICE raids intensify, how do employers know if their workers are legal?
SAN DIEGO - Hours after the surprise raid this month at Buona Forchetta, an Italian restaurant in the city's South Park neighborhood, where masked and armed U.S. immigration agents handcuffed employees and eventually took four workers into custody, a still rattled Matteo Cattaneo was trying to process what had happened to his business - and why. By any chance, had he used the federal government's voluntary program, E-Verify, to authenticate the legal status of his workers, a reporter asked him. No, said Cattaneo, the owner of multiple Buona Forchetta restaurants in California's San Diego and Orange counties. "There's a lot of concern with privacy." So how did he know if all his employees are legally authorized to work? "We get presented with papers," he responded. "Nobody can know for sure if everyone is legal." As raids by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers continue to intensify at workplaces across California, often exploding into confrontations between agents and the public, it's a pressing question facing most employers, now more than ever. In places like San Diego County that rely increasingly on immigrant labor, how do businesses truly know for certain if their new hires are legal in the eyes of the law? And could they even survive, especially in sectors like leisure and hospitality, construction and farming, without using undocumented workers to staff restaurant kitchens, clean hotel rooms, mow lawns, and harvest fruits and vegetables? Even President Donald Trump, who in recent weeks has doubled down on ICE raids of businesses - from Home Depot parking lots to car washes - has acknowledged the urgent need for immigrant labor when he called for what turned out to be a temporary halt to an immigration crackdown on farms, hotels and restaurants. In a recent post on his social media platform, he declared, "Our great Farmers and people in the Hotel and Leisure business have been stating that our very aggressive policy on immigration is taking very good, long time workers away from them, with those jobs being almost impossible to replace." While the government's E-Verify system is regarded as an increasingly reliable - although not infallible - way of weeding out undocumented workers, few businesses use it, for a variety of reasons. For one, it's not federally mandated. And it's considered by many businesses to be more burdensome, vulnerable to error, and, as some suggest, probably too effective in removing the cheap and plentiful supply of undocumented workers on which the U.S. economy relies. "Why would employers use it if they know that the workers they are hiring are unauthorized, and the reason they're hiring them is because there are not enough U.S. workers in the first place," said Muzaffar Chishti, a senior fellow with the Migration Policy Institute, a nonpartisan think tank. "In reality, unauthorized people are employed all the time. So E-Verify would defeat that purpose." What began in 1997 as a pilot program through the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act eventually morphed into E-Verify in 2007. In California, more than 321,000 business locations were using E-Verify as of March, according to the program website. That amounts to about 18% of employer establishments in the state, based on calculations using data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. A public records request seeking information on E-Verify participation in San Diego County was filed with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, but a response was not received in time for this story. While E-Verify may be considered the gold standard by the federal government for properly authenticating new hires, employers still have multiple options for accurately confirming on their own the legal status of their workers, say human resources experts. Whatever system an employer embraces, though, it cannot address the reality of a narrowing labor pool of legal residents, analysts counter. "Our economy is dependent on immigrant workers," Chishti said. "And since we don't have an immigration system that would allow people to come legally, we then become reliant on unauthorized workers." The current dependence on immigrant workers has evolved over decades, against a backdrop of steadily falling U.S. birth rates, an aging workforce, limited pathways to legal residency, and the reality that certain low-paying jobs simply hold little appeal for U.S.-born workers. "Even if you raise the wages of picking tomatoes in our farms by 100%, we still would not have U.S. workers willing to do those jobs," Chishti said. "Some of the jobs are so inherently backbreaking, to put it mildly, that U.S. workers just would not take them. So those industries - since the cost would be so high, we would lose them all. They would go abroad." While San Diego County has long been a region of immigrants, that's especially so for certain sectors of its economy. Foreign-born residents account for roughly 40% of workers at lodging businesses; 26% at restaurants; and 60% at landscaping services companies, according to U.S. Census Bureau data, which doesn't distinguish between documented and undocumented workers. Those percentages are likely to rise, given San Diego's recent population growth trends. Last year, the county would not have grown were it not for a 22% surge in immigration. Hiring is 'like the Hunger Games' Several San Diego employers interviewed for this story requested that they not be identified when discussing how they hire their employees, out of fear of drawing the attention of federal immigration officials. One hotel operator said, "We have a target on our backs now." A longtime restaurateur with multiple venues in San Diego County said his company has chosen not to use E-Verify because he feels he is already complying with the law. The reality, he said, is finding enough workers to staff restaurants remains challenging, even as hourly pay has increased above minimum wage. "Hiring has been like the Hunger Games the last few years," he said. "We're spending thousands of dollars a month on ads, and we're getting slim pickings. Sometimes they come in with an ID, some come in with no papers and we tell them they're not eligible to work. "I'm just trying to keep the business afloat with the least number of hurdles while being legally compliant. But if they were to make E-Verify mandatory, I don't know what would happen. It would be very dangerous because it would make a lot of people have a hard time opening their doors." Under federal law, both the employer and the employee have to take steps to ensure a worker is authorized to work in the U.S. For every worker they hire, employers have to complete an I-9 form, which is used to establish a worker's identity and right to work, and employees are required to show proof that they are allowed to work in the U.S. This has been the law since 1986. In some cases, one document is enough to prove someone has the right to work. The list of permitted documents includes a U.S. passport, green card, and a foreign passport with an I-94 form, which is a record of the person's entries into and departures from the U.S. Another way to prove eligibility to work is to provide two types of documents: one that establishes identity, such as a driver's license, and one that establishes someone's right to work here, such as a Social Security card, a Native American tribal document or a document from the Department of Homeland Security. To review the documents and be sure the I-9 is filled out correctly, employers can do a manual check or they can submit copies of the documents to E-Verify, a free online government tool that cross-checks the information on an I-9 form against government databases, including the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Social Security Administration records. Employers can still rely on other resources for employee authentication, says immigration lawyer Teodora Purcell. "Major providers include The Work Number (operated by Equifax), LexisNexis, TrueWork, Checkr's I-9 verification services, and various background screening companies," she said. She added that employers might choose private providers for several reasons, including more comprehensive services that "go beyond basic work authorization to include income verification for lending or housing applications." While some employers say they shy away from the federal system because they suspect it's not entirely reliable, the accuracy is said to have improved significantly in recent years. "In a time of rampant document fraud, E-Verify checks government databases to verify employee documents, reducing unauthorized employment," said U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services spokesman Matthew J. Tragesser in an emailed statement. "E-Verify consistently receives high marks from users and maintains a nearly perfect accuracy rate, while requiring no special software or additional costs to employers." He pointed out, though, that employers still have the legal obligation to "ensure employee-presented documentation reasonably appears to be genuine and relates to the person presenting it." 'Why would you expose yourself?' In California, local governments cannot require businesses to use E-Verify. Federal contractors and in some cases subcontractors are an exception, as are a handful of states. But some business owners still choose to opt in. Using E-Verify as a fail-safe tool for ensuring legal hiring seems like a no-brainer, says Chad Cline, co-owner of the Waterfront Bar & Grill in San Diego's Little Italy and several other dining venues. He says a third-party human resources company handles that for his businesses. "I don't understand why you wouldn't. I understand the labor pool is smaller, but everything is competitive," Cline said. "In 2020 when I couldn't find anybody, we were looking in prisons at that time, but they still have to check all the boxes. Why would you expose yourself? I feel like everybody will be looking at their kitchens now and double-checking, and if they feel exposed, they'll be addressing it however they can." Phil Blair, the co-owner of Manpower, a prominent San Diego staffing agency, says he's well aware of today's hiring challenges but that would never keep him from using E-Verify. "First, it gives employers the cover they need to prove they are following the law by checking government records that the employees they are considering hiring are legal to work in this country," he said. "This should not be an 'if you don't want to hear the answer do not ask the question.' Our company has been asked (by some companies) to not E-Verify employees that they want Manpower to hire on their behalf. Huge red flag warning and not the level of clients we want to serve." Employment attorney Anthony Zaller says his clients, which include restaurants, are increasingly becoming more receptive to using E-Verify as a form of risk mitigation that overrides the perceived burden - a change that has taken root over the past year, he said. "I think some proactive business owners have been saying, 'I'm just going go through the I-9 E-Verify process and know 100% that the documents those employees are providing to me are authentic and they're authorized to work in the U.S.,'" said Zaller, the founding partner of the firm Zaller Law Group. "It takes this risk out of the equation that somebody lied to you when they're applying for the job or filling out the I-9, and they could be caught up in an ICE raid." Even with E-Verify, though, it appears some businesses may still find themselves in the crosshairs of an immigration crackdown. A recent raid at an Omaha meat production plant where immigration agents took dozens of workers away in buses, puzzled the owner, who said he uses the federal verification system for hiring employees. When he protested to the agents, their answer, according to an AP news report, was the system "is broken." Legal liability If a business is found to have undocumented employees, the question arises, is it the employer who's culpable or the workers - or both? For workers, the penalty for giving false immigration or identity documents to an employer can include prison time or deportation. But there's also an obligation of the employer to do its own due diligence when hiring. Under federal law, a business can face sanctions for knowingly hiring and employing unauthorized workers. That was the case last week when the former general manager of an El Cajon metal coating business was sentenced in federal court for a misdemeanor criminal charge related to the hiring of undocumented workers. He received one year of unsupervised release and was ordered to perform 50 hours of community service and pay a $10 special assessment. The sentencing came three months after heavily armed personnel from ICE and Homeland Security Investigations detained workers at the facility. Three company employees were charged with felony counts of making false attestations on government work authorization forms. No charges have been filed yet in connection with the recent raid at Buona Forchetta. The search warrant in support of the raid alleges that documents presented by some employees, namely green cards that are issued when an individual becomes a lawful U.S. resident, "showed obvious signs of being fraudulent." Telltale signs, the warrant said, were inconsistent fonts and holograms, poor fine-line printing, and photographs of poor quality. On the Immigration Services website explaining acceptable documents for employee identity and authorization, it's noted that the department redesigns the permanent resident card every three to five years to guard against fraud. It also points out, however, that cards with previous designs remain valid until their expiration date. Clarke Ramsey, who owns Le Perv Landscape, said he checks to see that I-9 forms are filled out properly and match the documents workers turn in. "That's all that's really required at this point," said Ramsey, whose company was founded in 1978 and now employs 35 workers. One red flag he looks out for is if someone's name does not match the paperwork that's submitted. Even as he is aware of raids by ICE becoming more prevalent, he's not more interested in using E-Verify, he says. "There's kind of two sides to that," he said. "As long as we are following the law, I don't feel there's any potential liability for us, if someone has produced false papers that are good enough to fool us. So I'm not too much worried about us." Similarly, longtime restaurateur David Spatafore insists he's sufficiently compliant with the laws governing hiring so why would he need to use E-Verify as an extra step in what he says is already a cumbersome, time-consuming process. "We have nothing to worry about. If someone gave us false documents they created and passed through the system and we get called out, we still have done everything we needed to do legally to employ that person," said Spatafore, whose company, Blue Bridge Hospitality, includes several Coronado dining venues, as well as Liberty Public Market. "When you hire someone there's an element of trust, so if they give me a driver's license or Social Security card, there's an implicit trust that the document is good. If you hand me something and the ink is bleeding off, and the name is off, we're not going to take that document." From a legal standpoint, employers have to straddle a delicate line, says employment attorney Dan Eaton. On the one hand, they need to take steps to ensure they're hiring legally authorized workers. On the other hand, if they question prospective hires too aggressively about their paperwork and legal status, they risk being found guilty of discrimination. "Whatever system you use, you have to use it uniformly and if you're subjecting certain employees' documents to one level of scrutiny and others to a different level of scrutiny, there are strong employee discrimination protections within the I-9 law," Eaton said. "If the document you're given gives you a good faith reason to believe it's authentic then you have complied with the law, even if it turns out it wasn't authentic." While immigration raids, even under the current administration, aren't especially common, employers still have to remember that they can be subject to I-9 audits, warns a human resources expert, so employment records need to be carefully checked - and retained. Five years ago, Con Pane Rustic Breads and Cafe, a popular longtime San Diego business, was forced to close following a federal immigration audit that the then-owner said at the time uncovered a number of employees to be unauthorized workers. The Cohn Restaurant Group later took over the business and reopened the bakery. "You need to have a policy of preparing your workplace for immigration enforcement and what to look for," said Emily Dickens, chief of staff for the trade group SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management). "We've encouraged people to be proactive, don't just accept things at face value. There are too many opportunities for your business to be in jeopardy for not being compliant when you're beginning to hire people. "You cannot put this at risk, no matter the size of your organization." Copyright (C) 2025, Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Portions copyrighted by the respective providers.
Eater
16-06-2025
- Politics
- Eater
Trump Directs ICE to Pause Arrests at Restaurants, Farms, and Hotels
Skip to main content Current eater city: Los Angeles On June 14, amid ongoing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids in Los Angeles, the Trump administration reportedly instructed agents to pause arrests at restaurants, farms, and hotels, according to multiple outlets. The shift in policy follows a post on Truth Social from President Trump on June 12 that addresses complaints from farmers and hotel workers who say the far-reaching raids are taking away employees who are 'almost impossible to replace.' Restaurant, hotel, and farmworkers are statistically more likely to be affected by immigration sweeps. According to the American Immigration Council, immigrants comprise 22 percent of the food service labor force, with this percentage being higher in states such as California, Texas, and New York. The USDA estimates that about 40 percent of farmworkers are undocumented. Some of the earliest reports of ICE raiding a restaurant in Southern California came from San Diego on May 30, when agents raided Buona Forchetta in South Park. ABC reports that a Homeland Security warrant shows the agency received a tip that alleged the Italian restaurant employed undocumented workers. According to the San Diego Tribune , between 20 and 25 ICE agents conducted the raid; the agents allegedly handcuffed all employees present on site and later detained a handful of workers (some outlets reported three were detained, others reported four). Crowds gathered at the restaurant as the raid was underway to protest ICE; San Diego mayor Todd Gloria later released a statement saying, 'Federal actions like these are billed as a public safety measure, but it had the complete opposite effect. What we saw undermines trust and creates fear in our community.' Buona Forchetta in South Park temporarily closed after the raid but has since reopened. A week later, on June 6, ICE rolled into Los Angeles with large-scale immigration sweeps that began with agents raiding the parking lot of a Westlake Home Depot just west of Downtown, as well as making arrests in the Fashion District at two locations of Ambiance Apparel. In response to the raids, protesters have gathered daily in Downtown Los Angeles around the Edward R. Roybal Federal Building, with satellite protests in areas where ICE has been spotted, as well as in neighborhoods like Koreatown and Westlake. Protesters have been met with militarized force from the Los Angeles Police Department, the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department, the National Guard, and the United States Marines. On June 10, ICE agents were seen raiding farms and packing house distribution centers in Ventura, Kern, and Tulare counties. As the raids continue, Los Angeles residents remain afraid to go to work, according to KCRW and other local news publications. Rolling Stone reports that green card holders are even concerned about going to the grocery store or running errands. Those fears aren't unfounded. L.A. Taco reports that ICE conducted a raid at Jason's Tacos in East LA and arrested both staff and customers. On June 15, ICE raided the Santa Fe Springs Swap Meet and made several arrests. In response to the raids, Angel's Tijuana Tacos, which operates stands across Los Angeles, closed all of its locations outside of its Anaheim restaurant. In the days since the raids began, Los Angeles's streets have been emptied of the familiar fruteros, taqueros, and other vendors, leaving an unsettling quiet in their wake. Groups like Ktown for All, a volunteer organization dedicated to supporting Koreatown's unhoused community, are stepping in to help keep vendors off the street and out of imminent danger. Over the last few weeks, they have been raising funds to buy out street vendors for the duration of ICE's presence in Los Angeles so they don't have to risk selling in public. According to the Los Angeles Times , the buyout has raised more than $50,000 so far, enabling more than 20 vendors to remain safe at home for the month. The food purchased from the street vendors, which includes bags of homemade tamales, is being distributed to the neighborhood's unhoused population. Just days after Trump allegedly called for agents to ease off raids at restaurants, farms, and hotels, he posted again to Truth Social on June 15. This time, the President ordered ICE to expand efforts to 'detain and deport' in cities including Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York. In the post, he called these cities 'the core of the Democrat Power Center.' Whether this latest post affects the earlier guidance on excluding hospitality venues remains to be seen. See More:
Los Angeles Times
06-06-2025
- Los Angeles Times
As ICE ramps up activities targeting undocumented immigrants, communities are fighting back
Periodically, the Latinx Files will feature guest writers. Filling in this week are De Los reporters Carlos De Loera and Andrea Flores. Last week, Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers tried to execute two raids in San Diego. San Diego fought back. It all started on May 30 when heavily armed ICE agents showed up at the Italian eateries Buona Forchetta and Enoteca Buona Forchetta in the South Park neighborhood of the SoCal border city, as The Times' Ruben Vives reported. A spokesperson for Homeland Security Investigations, a branch within ICE, said the agents were executing search warrants related to alleged 'violations of hiring and harboring illegal aliens and false statements.' But as ICE members were making arrests, San Diego community members came out to defend those targeted and push back the agents. 'Shame! Shame! Shame!' hordes of San Diegans yelled at the gun-wielding, protective vest-wearing agents while forcing them to move away from the restaurants, social media video showed. Other videos revealed that ICE used flash-bang grenades against the protesters who interfered with the raids. Ultimately, four people living in the country illegally were taken into custody, HSI claimed. A federal search warrant, obtained by several San Diego news outlets, claimed that the restaurant owners were 'knowingly employing both illegal immigrants and individuals not authorized to work in the United States.' Additionally, it stated that HSI initially received tips about the restaurants' alleged activities in 2020 and a follow-up tip on Jan. 31 of this year. Reports on exactly how many restaurant workers were initially apprehended vary from a handful to the entirety of the staff. Claire Cody, who works at Buona Forchetta, spoke with KPBS San Diego about the situation. 'You always see this anywhere else, but then you experience it,' Cody said. 'I'm just thinking about my co-workers and I'm thinking about their families. This is just really unfortunate and very sad. I'm just praying that they're OK.' Officials from San Diego and across California commented on the situation, often scolding the ICE agents for their brute display of power. San Diego Rep. Scott Peters, whose district includes South Park, said, 'People must have thought: 'Wow, there must be an MS-13 [gang member] here or some drug kingpin like El Chapo at the bar.' No. They took four people away — dishwashers, busboys, maybe a cook.' North San Diego County/south Orange County Rep. Mike Levin also criticized the move. 'If there is any evidence, even a shred of evidence, that any of the individuals at that restaurant on Friday were guilty of any other crimes, they were violent in any way, if they were gang members, if they were drug dealers — that evidence needs to be put forward right now,' Levin said. 'In the absence of that evidence, what happened on Friday was fundamentally wrong, fundamentally un-American and could happen presumably to 1 in 5 San Diegans working in the service sector.' California State Sen. Steve Padilla called the events a 'disproportionate and dangerous display of force' in an official statement and applauded the San Diego community's response to ICE agents. 'Over-the-top tactics to carry out the policy stunts of this small president will not deter us in our fight to protect all Californians, nor succeed in intimidating hard working immigrant families. Immigrants have always and continue to enrich our society and their earnest belief they can make a better life in America is what makes this country great already,' he wrote. 'As our neighbors so bravely demonstrated in protest of these attacks, we stand together against this weaponized hate.' Last week's raid was the latest in a series of similar ICE activities carried out throughout Southern California. In late May, officials announced a raid at an L.A.-area underground nightclub that ended with the arrest of 36 Chinese and Taiwanese citizens suspected of being in the country illegally. Roughly two dozen day laborers were detained in a border patrol action outside a Home Depot in Pomona in April. But the protests from San Diegans spotlighted a growing contingent of people who are ready and willing to combat ICE agents to protect their communities. Last weekend, 18-year-old Massachusetts resident Marcelo Gomes da Silva was detained by ICE while on his way to his high school for volleyball practice. The Brazilian native was eventually granted bond on Thursday. On Monday, students at Gomes da Silva's school in Milford, Mass., staged a walkout in protest of his detention. Students were seen holding 'Free Marcelo' signs and Brazilian flags. Other members of his community protested the arrest outside Milford Town Hall on Sunday, where they called for the teen's release. On Wednesday, protesters, politicians and community organizers gathered in downtown Chicago to decry the detention of several immigrants at the hands of ICE, the Chicago Tribune reported. The protest was led by Organized Communities Against Deportations, a group that describes itself as 'undocumented, unapologetic, and unafraid organizers building a resistance movement against deportations and the criminalization of immigrants and people of color in Chicago and surrounding areas.' To combat against ICE activity in Southern California, groups such as Unión del Barrio — an independent political organization advocating for immigrant rights and social justice — have helped train community members on how to spot federal immigration officers and alert local residents to their presence using social media. 'We're not violent, we're not trying to break any laws, but we're doing everything within our legal means to protect the community,' Ron Gochez, a member of Unión del Barrio, told The Times in February. The organization has been working with communities for decades, including heavy involvement during crackdowns in the '90s and during the Obama administration. Participants volunteer in patrolling various locations for potential raids and proudly tout that they have helped in stopping and/or disrupting several ICE operations. Adalberto Ríos, a member of Unión del Barrio, summed up the group's mission concisely, telling The Times, 'We're just trying to help the community protect itself.' — Carlos De Loera At only 19 years young, J Noa has been defined by two things; her intrinsic spitfire flow and a refreshing air of humility, elements that resound clearly throughout her latest EP, 'Los 5 Golpe,' her most Dominican project to date. The Caribbean powerhouse and 2023 Latin Grammy nominee gained popularity for her freestyle rap sessions and showstopping Tiny Desk performance. But the music industry has never been easy for humble acts like J Noa, who vents those frustrations in the trumpet-laced hip hop track 'Sudor y Tinta' alongside urban singer Vakero. The earworm melody, and new EP, are a testament to the island's homegrown hustlers. It's creepy, a bit kooky, mysterious and spooky, that is, Los Aptos' newly released song 'Adams Family.' The enchanting Sierreño melody is the leading track from their latest bedroom pop album, 'Temporadas,' which came out on May 29. The genre-blending band embraces a more macabre sound in 'Adams Family,' with ghastly wolf howls and screeching doors; a not so shocking approach for a band originally from the emo Rust Belt of Fort Wayne, Ind. With so many promising música Mexicana groups on the up and up, Los Aptos is surely an act to follow. — Andrea Flores L.A.'s answer to Tiny Desk is hiding inside Mercado La Paloma The Rehearsal, which opened its sixth season last month at Mercado La Paloma, is a live showcase for young musical talent hoping to be seen and for seasoned musicians who want to try out new material in front of an audience. It's also streamed live on Twitch and YouTube each Friday night. Grupo Firme cancels appearance at La Onda festival, becoming latest international act to face visa issues Grupo Firme's news came only a week after Mexican singer Julión Álvarez postponed his May 24 show at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, after he claimed his work visa had been revoked. Also in May, Chicago's Michelada Fest, a Spanish-language music festival that had programmed several Latin American acts was canceled due to concerns over artists' visas. How 'Will Trent' star Ramón Rodriguez became an industry game-changer De Los spoke with the Puerto Rican actor, director and executive producer of ABC's quirky police procedural — which just was renewed for a fourth season. Belinda cannot be tamed. Her latest album, 'Indómita,' proves it The Mexican singer-actor dishes on how she transmuted her love for Thirty Seconds to Mars, anime and Mexican corridos into her most authentic work to date. Pablo Cruz Guerrero didn't grow up with 'El Chavo,' but Chespirito became his purpose Pablo Cruz Guerrero, the star of Max's bioseries 'Chespirito: Not Really on Purpose,' wasn't exposed to Roberto Gómez Bolaños and his work growing up, but he feels that gave him an advantage. How do you get kicked off 'Love Island' before the love begins? Yulissa Escobar shows us 'Love Island USA' contestant Yulissa Escobar leaves the show less than 20 minutes into the second episode. Her use of a racial slur on podcasts may be to blame.
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- Yahoo
Buona Forchetta reopens following workplace enforcement operation
SAN DIEGO (FOX5/KUSI) — Buona Forchetta in South Park was back to business on Wednesday following a brief closure as a result of a workplace enforcement operation that was carried out by immigration officials last Friday. '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.
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- Yahoo
Neighbors Band Together To ‘Shame' ICE Agents Out Of Their Community
A powerful video circulating on social media is reminding some that 'there are more of us than there are of them.' The video features residents in the San Diego, California neighborhood of South Park standing up to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents donned in full tactical gear armed with assault riffles. 'Shame, shame, shame!' the residents chant as they pump their fists into the air and the agents back away. Although the video is currently still on some platforms, it has been removed on X and TikTok. Yet, ABC News and 805 UndocuFund, an advocacy group for undocumented immigrants, have similar videos. The South Park residents' outrage is in response to two ICE raids that occurred Friday at the South Park restaurants Buona Forchetta and Enoteca Buona Forchetta, the Los Angeles Times reports. Locals responded to the terrifying scene by protesting, calling federal agents 'Nazis' and 'fascists.' Eventually, agents used flash-bang grenades to get away, at least according to what Yasmeen Pitts O'Keefe, a spokesperson for HSI, a branch within ICE, told the Times. 'The demonstrators became unruly and as a result less lethal noise flash diversionary devices were deployed to allow law enforcement to exit the scene as safely as possible,' O'Keefe said. 'When gatherings like these are formed, it not only places law enforcement in danger but also the demonstrators and onlookers attempting to impede law enforcement activity.' O'Keefe also told the Times that four people living in the country illegally were taken into custody. Renato Ametrano, the general manager of Buona Forchetta in South Park, told local news station KSWB/KUSI that ICE agents arrived at 4 p.m. before his restaurant opened and put all 15 workers in handcuffs — including himself — before releasing most of them. 'It was very, very uncomfortable. They handcuffed everybody. The first 10 minutes, they don't give any explanation,' Ametrano said. San Diego city officials condemned the raids. 'Like many San Diegans, I was deeply upset by Friday night's immigration enforcement operation at Buona Forchetta and Enoteca Buona Forchetta in South Park,' San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria said in a statement Sunday. 'Federal actions like these are billed as a public safety measure, but it had the complete opposite effect.' Gloria added, 'What we saw undermines trust and creates fear in our community.' Councilmember Stephen Whitburn, whose district includes South Park, was also alarmed. 'Last Friday was completely unnecessary,' Whitburn told the Times. 'And residents had every right to be furious about what they were witnessing and to make their anger known, and they did that, and I'm proud of it.' Social media users who watched the footage also found the footage deeply concerning, yet powerful. See some of their remarks below.
