Anxiety and anger ran through the D.C. restaurant community as NBC News reports Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents visited at least nine restaurants in the District Tuesday.
In some cases, agents requested documents to verify employees’ eligibility to work in the US.
“It’s really crazy, you know it kind of feels like we’re not in the U.S.,” said Bo Blair, the owner of Millie’s, a popular restaurant in Northwest’s Spring Valley neighborhood. “[…] That’s just was shocking to everybody today.”
One day after a warning from local advocates, surveillance video showed the moments federal agents popped up at Millie’s in an apparent widespread immigration enforcement operation.
Blair walked News4 through how it all went down. Security cameras recorded as the agents came in Tuesday morning.
“It seemed pretty unnecessary, and that scared people,” Blair said. “Is this just a scare tactic? Like I don’t really see the purpose in it.”
Blair said they identified themselves as ICE and Homeland Security.
In the video, the manager can be seen speaking with them as they asked to speak with employees and review I-9 forms to verify eligibility to work. He refused, saying they keep those records off site, and they left a form saying they have until the 12th to turn them over.
“I think it’s pretty absurd,” Blair said. “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.”
In addition to Millie’s, Chef Geoff’s in Northwest D.C., two on the Wharf, and several other upscale restaurants in Northwest. Some received paperwork saying it was an advanced notice of inspection for employee I-9 forms, while others reported verbal warnings that agents would be back in three days.
On Tuesday D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser called those 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 said. “I want to be clear this is not an MPD action, no MPD activity involved.”
Back at Millie’s, Blair said they’ve been preparing for this for months by informing workers about their rights, but now some of his employees are scared to come to work, putting more pressure on small business owners that are already having a tough time.
“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.”
Blair said two employees were so shaken up they had to leave.
According to those forms, agents will be back Monday to check those records.
