D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser expressed alarm over the actions of the ICE agents, calling the reports disturbing. "It appears that ICE is at restaurants or even in neighborhoods, and it doesn't look like they’re targeting criminals, and so it is disrupting,” Bowser stated. She made it clear that these actions were not connected to the Metropolitan Police Department, distancing local law enforcement from the federal operation.
The operation seemed focused on verifying the eligibility of workers to remain employed in the U.S., with some agents requesting documentation to confirm employee work status. One such instance unfolded at Millie’s, a well-known restaurant in the Spring Valley neighborhood of Northwest D.C., where surveillance footage captured the moment federal agents entered the premises. The owner of Millie’s, Bo Blair, expressed his disbelief over the situation, describing it as "shocking" and "crazy." He noted that the presence of the agents created unnecessary fear and confusion, questioning whether this was simply a scare tactic.
In the video, the manager of Millie’s is seen speaking with the agents, who requested to speak with employees and inspect I-9 forms, which verify the employment eligibility of workers. The manager refused, stating that the documents were kept off-site. The agents left behind a notice giving the restaurant until May 12 to provide the requested paperwork. Two employees, visibly shaken by the interaction, left their shifts early. Blair, who has worked to prepare his team by educating them about their rights, voiced his frustration, saying, "Immigrants are the backbone of not only the restaurant industry, but a lot of other industries in this country. Without immigrants, there are no restaurants."
Millie’s was not the only establishment affected by ICE’s actions. Agents also visited a number of other popular D.C. restaurants, including Chef Geoff's, Officina at The Wharf, Jaleo in Chinatown, Santa Rosa Taqueria on Capitol Hill, Pupatella in Dupont Circle, Call Your Mother's location on Georgia Avenue, and Clyde's of Georgetown. While some restaurateurs received advance notice of the inspections and the need to review employee documentation, others were informed only verbally that the agents would return in a few days.
The restaurant owners, including Blair, are struggling with the added pressure of these immigration checks. Blair noted that after the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, the threat of immigration enforcement is just another burden on an already struggling industry. "It’s like one thing after another to be honest. We have COVID, which was like the worst thing ever," Blair said. “Now we’re under threat from ICE and Homeland Security. I mean it’s just like that inflation, it just keeps going and going, and the restaurant industry is not easy.”
In addition to the stress of dealing with immigration checks, many restaurant owners are worried about the impact on their workforce. Blair mentioned that some of his employees are now too fearful to come to work, creating further challenges for his business. As a result, employees are becoming increasingly reluctant to show up, especially as the fear of federal enforcement grows.
The forms left behind by ICE agents indicate that they will return on Monday to conduct a more thorough inspection of employment authorization records. These developments underscore the continued tension between immigration enforcement and the restaurant community in D.C., with the future of many immigrant workers in limbo. As the situation unfolds, local restaurateurs are left navigating the complex intersection of immigration laws and the reality of operating a small business in a city that relies heavily on immigrant labor.
