In a clear demonstration of clever policing, ICE agents on January 15, 2026, arrested three workers from the family-owned El Tapatio Mexican restaurant in Willmar, Minnesota, a town that overwhelmingly supported President Trump in the presidential election, throwing him nearly 65% of the vote in November of 2024.
Earlier in the day, agents dined at the restaurant around 3 p.m. to observe, then returned after closing time around 8:30 p.m. to detain the individuals near a Lutheran church and middle school. Witnesses reported the arrests were peaceful but provoked a small group of protesters who blew whistles and screamed insults at the agents: “Would your mama be proud of you right now?” Despite claims from biased liberals, this tactic is standard for law enforcement.
When news of the incident reached social media, conservatives were enthusiastic. “ICE agents had lunch at El Tapatio Mexican restaurant in Willmar, Minnesota, enjoyed the tacos🌮, then returned that same night to arrest the staff who had served them. Brilliant✨!!!” one post read.
However, progressives were enraged and used the incident to feed into their open borders narrative. “These ICE agents are not human. On January 14th, 4 Trump/Noem’s ICE agents ate lunch at El Tapatio, a family-owned Mexican restaurant in Willmar, Minnesota, and came back hours later to detain 3 employees. All restaurants must deny service to ICE. Only together we can end this!” a biased liberal reacted.
Likewise, Mary L. Trump, the president’s estranged niece, said, “After ICE agents ate lunch at a Minnesota Mexican restaurant, they went back and arrested three of the restaurant’s employees. I don’t know that you can reform that kind of cruelty.”
Firing back, a logical conservative pointed out, “How is that cruel? Weren’t they already working in the restaurant before ICE got there? How is eating at a restaurant cruel? If ICE ate somewhere else instead, and came back to the Mexican restaurant, what would the employees be doing? They’d be working. In a restaurant.”
Similarly annoyed, another added, “So every illegal that served food for someone should stay in the country illegally ? These agents should just neglect their duties because they bought a sandwich?” Likewise, a conservative said, “Job well done. First you go undercover to get the evidence. Next you come back and make the arrests. Police work 101. Good Job!!!!!”
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Refusing to go along with her poor logic, a response noted, “😂🤣😂 if they are here illegally, they broke the laws, and they need to go, then they can apply and come back the right way if they so choose…. what’s so difficult to understand about that?”
“Sounds like good police work to me. Did it myself as a Detective. Even sat down to dinner to watch a wedding. Bride was not happy but the family of the victim was thrilled,” a similar comment read. The last comment pointed out, “So, they were supposed to ignore illegals? Because the illegals served them food? I don’t know if your kind of stupidity can be cured.”
Watch President Trump comment on the Somali fraud problem here: