Serine
Federal immigration agents reportedly detained as many as 12 individuals during coordinated raids on two El Toro Loco Mexican Bar and Grill restaurants in the Kansas City metro area on Wednesday.
According to the local advocacy group Advocates for Immigration Rights and Reconciliation (AIRR), the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents carried out the operation around 11 a.m., targeting restaurant locations in Lenexa and Kansas City, Kansas.
Locations Targeted and Workers Taken Into Custody
AIRR confirmed in a press release that seven employees were arrested at the 1706 Village West Parkway location in Kansas City, Kansas, while an additional four to five workers were detained at the 10088 Woodland Road restaurant in Lenexa.
Before entering, federal officers placed handwritten “closed” signs on the doors of both establishments, which AIRR described as creating “an atmosphere of intimidation” for staff present during the raid.
Allegations of Labor Exploitation and Trafficking
HSI agents reportedly cited a criminal search warrant related to labor trafficking and worker exploitation, although AIRR criticized the agency for failing to identify or offer support to potential victims.
The organization condemned the action as part of a wider pattern of targeting immigrant laborers, describing it as deeply traumatizing for already marginalized communities.
Community Leaders Call for Accountability
Jackson County Legislator Manny Abarca weighed in via social media, suggesting that Mexican-owned restaurants are being selectively targeted in an industry known to exploit undocumented and misdocumented workers.
Abarca expressed a desire to see restaurant owners held accountable for any wrongdoing.
In a troubling oversight, AIRR claimed that burners were left on in the Lenexa kitchen and that the building remained unsecured after agents departed, potentially risking safety.
No Official Comment From Authorities or Business Owners
Attempts to contact HSI, which operates under U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), went unanswered.
Calls to both El Toro Loco locations were unsuccessful—one resulted in a busy tone, and the other went unanswered.
As of Thursday afternoon, both restaurants remained vacant, according to a report by The Kansas City Star.
This incident underscores ongoing tensions surrounding immigration enforcement, particularly within industries that often rely on vulnerable laborers.
With accusations of labor trafficking, a lack of victim support, and public outcry from community leaders, the fallout from these raids is likely to spark further scrutiny on both employers and federal agencies involved in these operations.