14 individuals were arrested by federal immigration officers during a raid on a Mexican restaurant in Marshall Township, Pennsylvania. According to CBS Pittsburgh, a representative for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) said the operation targeted Tepache Mexican Kitchen and Bar.
The individuals arrested were allegedly illegally present in the United States.
ICE claimed “violations of immigration laws” and indicated that the action was part of an ongoing investigation conducted by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Department of Homeland Security’s investigative branch.
CBS Pittsburgh stated that a federal search warrant was executed at the premises, but no precise details about what agents were looking for were disclosed.
Local station KDKA displayed footage of numerous men and women in handcuffs—both wrists and ankles—being taken out of the eatery by agents. ICE stated that all 14 people are currently in custody but did not say where they were taken.
Jamie Martinez, a community advocate for Casa San José, was on hand to support the jailed workers. The organization provides legal, social, and medical help to Pittsburgh’s Latino community.
Martinez described a deeply emotional scene: “They were waving to us while crying—some thanked us for being there,” he told CBS Pittsburgh. Asked about the presence of undocumented individuals, he added, “Every person, regardless of their status, deserves to be treated with dignity.”
The FBI and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) also helped ICE with the operation. Local officials have yet to comment on the investigation’s broader background.