At a Glance
- Four ICE agents ate lunch at El Tapatio in Willmar, Minn., then returned hours later to arrest employees after closing.
- The Jan. 14 incident follows two ICE shootings in Minneapolis within one week.
- El Tapatio has since shut its doors, and local businesses report massive revenue losses.
- Why it matters: The tactics fuel fear in immigrant communities and spark new protests against federal enforcement methods.
ICE agents shared a meal with the people they would later arrest. The sequence-lunch, surveillance, detention-has ignited outrage across Minnesota and forced several businesses to close.
The Lunch That Preceded Raids
Four agents entered El Tapatio shortly before 3 p.m. on Jan. 14. Staff recognized the immigration officers immediately. Eyewitnesses told the Minnesota Star Tribune that employees grew anxious as the agents ate.
The agents left without incident, but they did not go far. They maintained surveillance on the restaurant and waited for closing time.
After-Hours Arrests Near Church and School
By 8:30 p.m. the same day, the agents moved in. They followed employees who had locked up El Tapatio and conducted vehicle stops near a local church and Willmar Middle School.
Bystanders reacted swiftly. Witnesses blew whistles and shouted at the officers. One onlooker called out, “Would your mama be proud of you right now?”
DHS Confirms Targeted Surveillance
The Department of Homeland Security provided a statement to News Of Los Angeles through Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. She confirmed that ICE officers were “conducting surveillance of a target” identified as Jose Rosario Gomez Gallardo.
McLaughlin’s statement detailed the operation:
- Agents saw the target’s vehicle outside the restaurant.
- They positively identified Gomez Gallardo inside El Tapatio.
- A later vehicle stop led to the detention of Gomez Gallardo and two additional occupants.
- One detainee had a final order of removal from an immigration judge.
Community Impact: Closed Doors and Lost Revenue
El Tapatio has not reopened since the arrests. WCCO reports that other businesses in the diverse city have also shut their doors.
Brentt Fees, a local resident, visited the restaurant to show support. He found it dark and locked.
“Just wanted to make sure everything was okay, and apparently it’s not because they’re closed now,” Fees said. He added that his own employer has lost 75% of its business since the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown began in Minnesota’s Twin Cities.
Two Shootings in Seven Days
The lunch-and-arrest tactic occurred amid escalating violence. Two ICE shootings took place in the Minneapolis area within one week:
- ICE agent Jonathan Ross shot and killed Renee Good in Minneapolis.
- A second agent shot another man in North Minneapolis one week later.
Both incidents intensified public anger and led to street protests.
Political Fallout and Legal Action
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey has demanded that federal agents leave the city. During a recent press conference he stated, “We cannot be at a place right now in America where we have two governmental entities that are literally fighting one another.”
The city has filed litigation to end ICE’s deployment in Minneapolis. After the second shooting, the City of Minneapolis posted on X:
- “We understand there is anger. We ask the public to remain calm.”
- “The City of Minneapolis again demands that ICE leave the city and state immediately. We stand by our immigrant and refugee communities – know that you have our full support.”
Timeline of Key Events
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Jan. 14, 3 p.m. | ICE agents eat lunch at El Tapatio |
| Jan. 14, 8:30 p.m. | Agents detain employees near church and school |
| Jan. 13, 2026 | Federal raid in south Minneapolis (photo by Victor J. Blue) |
Public Reaction and Protests
Residents have organized demonstrations following each shooting and after the El Tapatio arrests. Whistles, chants and direct confrontations with agents have become common.
The pattern-violent encounters followed by large public protests-has placed Minnesota at the center of the national immigration debate.
Key Takeaways
- ICE agents used a meal at El Tapatio as surveillance cover before making arrests.
- The restaurant and other local businesses have closed, citing lost revenue and community fear.
- Two recent ICE shootings have spurred protests and official city demands for the agency to leave Minneapolis.
- City leaders vow litigation and public support for immigrant communities as tensions continue to rise.
