Immigration Raids at 2 San Diego Restaurants Spark Protest

More than 250 protesters outside harassed and blocked federal officers during the operation, during which four workers were detained, officials reported.

An Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent in Los Angeles on Oct. 14, 2015. John Moore/Getty Images

Federal immigration agents served criminal search warrants at two restaurants in San Diego on May 30, detaining four employees while hundreds of protesters harassed and tried to block the federal officers from leaving, according to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

“While executing two criminal search warrants of businesses that knowingly hired illegal aliens in San Diego, over 250 protesters verbally harassed [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] ICE agents, pounded on car windows, and even blocked roadways to prevent ICE from leaving,” DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told The Epoch Times Monday in an email.

The officers followed their training to use the minimum amount of force necessary to resolve the situation in a way that prioritized the safety of the public and the officers, according to McLaughlin.

Protests like the one Saturday have contributed to a 413 percent surge in assaults on ICE officers during arrests, McLaughlin added.

Armed federal agents arrived at the Buona Forchetta and Enoteca Buona Forchetta restaurants Friday on Beech Street and detained three Mexican nationals and one Colombian, according to Rep. Juan Vargas (D-Chula Vista).

Some local officials defend the restaurants and illegal immigrants.

“I am deeply troubled by tonight’s ICE operations in my council district. People have a right to due process,” San Diego Councilman Stephen Whitburn posted on the social media platform X on May 30. “Our neighbors who are immigrants are vital to the fabric of our city, and they deserve to live without fear or intimidation.”

U.S. Rep. Scott Peters, a San Diego Democrat, said his office would be “investigating the incident to ensure law enforcement is using its resources on public safety threats and meeting the highest standards.”

One of the restaurants involved in the operation, Buona Forchetta, announced Sunday that it would close its doors at all locations in San Diego and Orange counties Monday and Tuesday, saying its employees needed rest and care.

“We wish we could find stronger words, but the truth is we are heartbroken,” the restaurant posted on X. “The traumatic incident involving a federal enforcement operation at our original and beloved South Park location has left a mark on all of us.”

The restaurant called it a “wound that is still raw,” and said the support from the community had kept workers going through the weekend.

“Your strength lifted us when we were not sure how to take another step,” the restaurant stated.

City News Service contributed to this report.