Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents are targeting DC restaurants today in what is shaping up to be one of the city’s most high-profile examples yet of President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown. Millie’s in Spring Valley, Pupatella in Dupont Circle, Chef Geoff’s in Northwest, Chang Chang downtown, and Ghostburger in Shaw are among the businesses that immigration officials have visited seeking I-9 forms verifying employment eligibility. There are unconfirmed reports of agents at several other DC restaurants as well.
At Millie’s, which caters to an affluent upper Northwest crowd, eight or nine agents—some in plain clothes, others with uniforms and guns—swarmed the restaurant just as it was opening for lunch. “They all came in all of the public entrances at the same time,” says owner Bo Blair.
The general manager met the agents, who provided a “notice of inspection” and asked to question employees. The manager said they couldn’t, and they did not push back. They asked for I-9 forms, which the restaurant keeps securely at its corporate office, not at the restaurant.
“They made it pretty public that they’re coming back to the restaurant on Monday [to collect the forms], which is pretty unnerving to the staff, obviously,” says the group’s CEO Marisa Casey. She says she is asking them not to come back to the restaurants because the documents are not kept there. “We also don’t want them to go back to our restaurants scare everybody.”
Millie’s is not worried for its own sake; When they learned that the Trump administration would be doing more I-9 audits this year, the restaurant group went through their records to ensure everything was sound. They have also talked to staff about what to do if and when ICE comes. But they are concerned about the way the situation was handled.
“We were under the impression that they were focusing on trying to find criminals,” Blair says. “And this is just a whole new level of harassment to our hard-working, law-abiding employees.”
At Pupatella pizzeria, agents identified themselves as being with the Department of Homeland Security, not ICE specifically. They asked if the restaurant had I-9 forms, says Natasha Neely, Pupatella’s VP of Brand Marketing & Growth. The staff asked if they had a warrant, and they didn’t. The agents said they were just doing some “administrative work.” The staff referred them to the pizza chain’s corporate office, and the agents left. “No raiding, no anything,” Neely says. “They didn’t even enter the building.”
Washingtonian has reached out to ICE for comment but has not heard back.
Yesterday, the restaurant industry was abuzz with rumors that ICE would begin targeting DC restaurant and food delivery workers beginning today. A flyer circulated in text chains and on social media telling workers what to do and not do during an ICE raid. According to Migrant Insider, agents were expected to enter businesses with the pretext of conducting employment eligibility verification checks, while other agents would be positioned near the exits to stop anyone who attempted to flee.
DC’s restaurant industry has been bracing for this moment for months. Days after Trump returned to the White House, a rumor started circulating that ICE had raided a prominent DC restaurant. The alert spread across group texts, email chains, and social media within hours. It turned out to be false, but the anxiety and panic lingered.
“People are afraid to go to work, but it’s also something that people don’t say, because that will lead you to know that they’re here illegally. But you can see it on people’s eyes, the fear, and that’s the sad part,” said one chef at that time. The chef asked to remain anonymous so as not to become a target of backlash.
This story is developing. If you hear about ICE agents visiting DC restaurants, email jsidman@washingtonian.com.
Jessica Sidman covers the people and trends behind D.C.’s food and drink scene. Before joining Washingtonian in July 2016, she was Food Editor and Young & Hungry columnist at Washington City Paper. She is a Colorado native and University of Pennsylvania grad.
