By Gina Yarbrough
San Diego, CA–Local and state elected officials are demanding answers after heavily armed and masked U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents stormed two popular South Park restaurants Friday afternoon, detaining multiple workers and igniting widespread public outrage.
The raid, which took place at Buona Forchetta and Enoteca Buona Forchetta, was described by eyewitnesses and city leaders as an excessive show of force. Several workers, including dishwashers, busboys, and a cook, were taken into custody.
At a press conference held Monday outside the federal courthouse, Rep. Juan Vargas sharply criticized the operation.
“Why were ICE agents armed to the teeth as if they were entering a war zone, storming restaurants?” Vargas asked. “The warrant stated they were going to arrest everyone and detain employees — I don’t know how a federal judge signs off on that.”
Rep. Scott Peters, also present, echoed Vargas’s concerns, calling the incident part of a troubling national trend.
“This isn’t just happening here. It’s happening across the country,” he said.
Buona Forchetta’s owners addressed the raid in an emotional Instagram post on Sunday, announcing the temporary closure of all seven of their locations in San Diego and Orange counties on Monday and Tuesday to allow employees time to recover from the traumatic experience.
“We wish we could find stronger words, but the truth is we are heartbroken,” the statement read. “The traumatic incident… has left a mark on all of us. A wound that is still raw, still echoing in our kitchens, our dining rooms, and our hearts.”
Video footage from the raid shows community members confronting ICE agents as they attempted to leave. Protesters shouted “Shame!” and banged on vehicles, blocking the agents’ vans. In response, ICE agents deployed smoke bombs to disperse the crowd.
San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria released a statement condemning the raid, saying it had a destabilizing impact on the community.
“Federal actions like these are billed as a public safety measure, but it had the complete opposite effect,” Gloria said. “What we saw undermines trust and creates fear. I’ve raised my strong objections directly with Homeland Security Investigations leadership and will continue to advocate for the dignity and rights of all San Diegans.”
The raid comes amid a nationwide surge in ICE activity, which has reportedly been ramped up under ongoing pressure from the Trump administration to increase arrests and deportations. ICE operations have increasingly targeted courthouses, workplaces, and traffic stops.
As the community reels from the incident, many are calling for transparency, accountability, and a reassessment of immigration enforcement tactics that they say terrorize rather than protect.
