Harper West
In May 2017, United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers arrested three members of the kitchen staff at Sava's, a restaurant in downtown Ann Arbor, Michigan. The ICE officers had arrived at the restaurant at 11:30 a.m. to eat breakfast. After finishing their meal, they entered the kitchen to apprehend an employee whom they suspected of not having the proper documentation. When they realized that the employee was not on duty, they arrested three other kitchen staff members. This incident caused a lot of fear and distress in the community, with some patrons and employees feeling unnerved and scared. It also sparked a debate about the Trump administration's policies towards undocumented immigrants and the impact of ICE raids on businesses and communities.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date and Time | 25 May 2017, 11:30 a.m. |
| Location | Sava's, Ann Arbor, Michigan |
| Number of ICE Agents | 3-5 |
| Number of Arrests | 3 |
| Names of Arrested Individuals | Sergio Cardenas Rubio, Jesus Ortiz Hernandez, Mohamed Souman/Carlos Rivera-Ochoa |
| Reasons for Arrest | Unlawful entry to the U.S., overstaying visa |
| Owner's Reaction | Lelcaj/Leljac/Lelcaj-Farah: "It's a very sad day here at Sava's. These things really shake people up." |
| ICE Statement | "While conducting a targeted enforcement action...officers encountered and arrested three individuals on immigration violations." |
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What You'll Learn
ICE agents ate breakfast before arresting kitchen staff
In May 2017, ICE agents entered Sava's, a restaurant in downtown Ann Arbor, Michigan, and ate breakfast before arresting three members of the kitchen staff. The owner of Sava's, Sava Lelcaj-Farah, described the incident as "really sad" and said that it "scares the whole community". According to Lelcaj-Farah, the ICE agents were looking for a specific employee, who was not on duty at the time. When they realised this, they turned their attention to other cooks in the kitchen and demanded their documentation. Three men were ultimately arrested on immigration violations. Two of the men, Sergio Cardenas Rubio and Jesus Ortiz Hernandez, had unlawfully entered the United States without inspection, and the third man, Mohamed Souman, had overstayed his visa.
The incident at Sava's is not an isolated one. In February 2017, more than 50 people were detained in a raid on an Asian restaurant in Mississippi. In June 2017, the Washington Post reported that about 30 employees of a Baltimore restaurant resigned after an ICE agent demanded their papers. And in May 2017, the same month as the Sava's incident, ICE agents arrested more than 400 immigrants, with arrests of those with no criminal records more than doubling.
The practice of ICE agents eating before making arrests has been described as "unsettling" and "unnerving". It is not clear whether this is a standard law enforcement technique or a unique occurrence. However, it is undeniable that these types of incidents create an environment of fear for restaurant workers and immigrants in the United States.
While the ICE agents in this case followed the law in making the arrests, the restaurant owner, Lelcaj-Farah, defended her employees, stating that she uses a third party to vet her hires. She also expressed her sadness and concern for the impact of the incident on her employees and the community.
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The staff were arrested for immigration violations
In May 2017, ICE officers arrested three members of kitchen staff at Sava's restaurant in downtown Ann Arbor, Michigan. The ICE officers had arrived at the restaurant at 11:30 a.m. and sat down to eat breakfast. They were reportedly looking for a specific employee, but when they realized the individual was not on duty, they turned their attention to other cooks in the kitchen and demanded their documentation.
Three individuals were arrested for immigration violations. Sergio Cardenas Rubio and Jesus Ortiz Hernandez had unlawfully entered the United States without inspection, while Mohamed Souman had lawfully entered but did not depart in accordance with the terms of his status. All three men were reported to be in the country illegally and remained in ICE custody as of 7:20 p.m. that evening, although there are conflicting reports about their release.
The incident caused a lot of distress for patrons and employees, with the restaurant owner, Sava Lelcaj, stating that it was a "very sad day" and that such incidents scare the whole community. The owner also mentioned that they use a third party to vet their hires, and while they respect the law, there may be certain situations they are unaware of. This incident reflects the broader impact of immigration enforcement actions on communities, with reports of similar raids and arrests across the country, contributing to an environment of fear and uncertainty.
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The ICE agents were looking for one specific person
On a Wednesday morning in May 2017, United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers arrived at Sava's restaurant in Ann Arbor, Michigan. They sat down to eat breakfast before arresting three members of the kitchen staff.
The three men were Sergio Cardenas Rubio, Jesus Ortiz Hernandez, and Mohamed Souman. Rubio and Hernandez had unlawfully entered the United States without inspection, while Souman had overstayed his visa. All three men were released in the afternoon after providing proper paperwork, according to initial reports. However, a representative for ICE later confirmed that they remained in custody as of 7:20 pm on Wednesday.
The owner of Sava's, Sava Lelcaj, described the incident as "really sad" and said that it scared the whole community. She also mentioned that she uses a third party to vet her hires. The restaurant's representative, Bree Stilwell, said that the employees had proper documentation but didn't have it on them that morning. She also noted that the incident was distressing for everyone involved and unnerved patrons and staff.
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The owner of Sava's called the incident sad and scary
The owner of Sava's, Sava Lelcaj-Farah, described the incident as "really sad" and said that it "scares the whole community". She was not present at the restaurant when her employees were taken into custody. She told MLive that the ICE officials had come looking for one person who was not on duty, and when they could not find that person, they turned their attention to three other men working in the kitchen.
Lelcaj-Farah added, "It's a very sad day here at Sava's. These things really shake people up. We have a lot of people who have family roots here." She also said that the current state of affairs is creating an environment of fear for restaurant workers.
A representative for Sava's, Bree Stilwell, said that the employees had proper documentation but did not have it on them that morning. She also said that the raid was a distressing situation for everyone, particularly given the high-anxiety environment and regular ICE raids. Stilwell also pointed out that ICE often arrests immigrants, including green card and visa holders, for years-old convictions.
The incident at Sava's is not an isolated one. In February, a raid on an Asian restaurant in Mississippi detained more than 50 people. In another incident, a restaurant owner in Baltimore reported that about 30 employees quit the day after an ICE agent visited the restaurant and demanded their papers.
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ICE agents have a history of raiding restaurants
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers have a history of raiding restaurants and detaining employees. In May 2017, ICE agents sat down for breakfast at Sava's restaurant in Ann Arbor, Michigan, before arresting three members of the kitchen staff. The owner of Sava's, Sava Lelcaj, stated that the ICE agents were looking for a specific employee who was not on duty at the time. They then turned their attention to three other men working in the kitchen and arrested them for immigration violations. This incident caused a sense of fear and distress within the community, with some patrons and employees feeling unnerved by the raid.
Another notable example of an ICE raid at a restaurant occurred in Baltimore, Maryland, in June 2017. The co-owner of the BoatHouse Canton restaurant, Gene Singleton, reported that an ICE agent demanded the papers of his kitchen staff, resulting in the resignation of nearly his entire kitchen staff, approximately 30 employees. Singleton blamed the Trump administration for targeting the Hispanic community and expressed sympathy for his employees, regardless of their legal status. This incident sparked a debate over immigration and the impact of ICE raids on businesses and communities.
ICE raids in restaurants have also been reported in other states, including Mississippi, where a raid on an Asian restaurant resulted in the detention of more than 50 people, and Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, D.C., where ICE conducted a five-day sweep and arrested 82 individuals. These raids often target immigrant communities, including green card and visa holders, and have been criticized for creating an environment of fear and uncertainty. In some cases, ICE agents have been accused of using aggressive tactics, such as positioning themselves at the front and back exits of restaurants and detaining individuals without verifying their documentation.
While ICE claims that their actions are lawful and targeted, restaurant owners and immigration advocates argue that these raids disrupt businesses and communities, causing fear and anxiety among employees and their families. The raids also bring attention to the complex nature of immigration status and the challenges faced by employers and employees in ensuring compliance with immigration laws. The impact of ICE raids on restaurants highlights the broader social and political debates surrounding immigration enforcement in the United States.
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Frequently asked questions
ICE officers showed up at Sava's at 11:30 AM on a Wednesday morning, ate breakfast, and then arrested three kitchen staff members.
The Michigan Daily reports that two of the detainees were released, with only one spending the night in custody. However, a representative for ICE confirmed that all three men remained in custody as of 7:20 pm on Wednesday.
Two of the men "unlawfully entered the United States without inspection at an unknown date and location", and the other lawfully entered the country but did not depart in accordance with the terms of his status.
Sava Lelcaj-Farah, the owner of Sava's, said that the incident was "really sad" and "scares the whole community". She also mentioned that they use a third party to vet their hires.
Yes, in Baltimore, an ICE agent demanded the papers of the kitchen staff at the BoatHouse restaurant, after which about 30 employees quit the next day.
