A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent. (AP Photo)
A Mexican restaurant chain in Arizona suspended business operations after dozens of illegal immigrants working for the company were arrested in a large-scale U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operation on Dec. 5.
ICE agents arrested 46 illegal immigrants during a search of nine restaurants, including Taco Giro, in the Tucson area.
“Our restaurant[s] will be temporarily closed while we take a short pause to make a few necessary adjustments so we can continue offering the warm service and unique flavors you love,” the Taco Giro announced on social media the following day.
Taco Giro is a family-owned chain based in Arizona with stores in Tucson, Sierra Vista, Green Valley, Casa Grande, and Apache Junction.
“The operation was part of a multiyear investigation into a transnational criminal organization involved in labor exploitation, tax violations, and immigration violations,” acting Special Agent in Charge Ray Rede said.
Federal agents accused the business of running a “criminal organization” that included people who had previous arrests for sexual assault and illegal re-entry into the United States, which is a felony.
“These enforcement actions have unequivocally disrupted this criminal organization’s ability to exploit our lawful labor and system of commerce,” Rede said. “This agency will not stand for it and those seeking to continue such practices are on notice—there will be more enforcement operations in Arizona.”
The Epoch Times has reached out to the business for comment.
Federal agents said the operation at the Tucson location turned violent as “over 100 agitators” locked gates outside the restaurant, assaulted officers, and slashed tires.
Two demonstrators were detained after two members of the Homeland Security Investigations’ special response team were injured. One agent suffered a bicep rupture while the other had a knee injury.
Rep. Adelita Grijalva (D-Ariz.) was on her lunch break in the area when she saw the demonstration and approached immigration agents at the Tucson location.
“When I presented myself as a Member of Congress and asked for more information, my staff and I were pushed aside and pepper-sprayed by masked agents,” Grijalva said in a statement on Dec. 6.
“While I am fine, if that is the way they treat me, how are they treating other community members who do not have the same privileges and protections that I do?”
ICE denied using pepper spray on the congresswoman.
“During the operation, U.S. Representative Adelita Grijalva joined the rioting crowd and attempted to impede law enforcement officers, then took to social media to slander law enforcement by falsely claiming she was pepper-sprayed,” the agency wrote in a news release.
