ICE Raids DC Restaurants
A high-profile immigration enforcement effort rocked Washington, D.C. on Tuesday, as Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents conducted a series of I-9 employment verification inspections at several restaurants across the city — including Chef Geoff’s, owned by Geoff Tracy, husband of CBS News anchor Norah O’Donnell.
According to FOX5, the coordinated enforcement effort began around 10:30 a.m. when nearly a dozen ICE agents arrived at one of the Chef Geoff’s locations, spending about 90 minutes reviewing employee paperwork.
No arrests were made, and the agents reportedly departed without incident. However, the raid quickly drew media attention due to the restaurant’s high-profile ownership and the broader implications of federal immigration enforcement in the nation’s capital.
Other prominent restaurants were also swept up in the action, including Millie’s, Officina, Jaleo, Santa Rosa Taqueria, Pupatella, Call Your Mother, and Clyde’s. At Millie’s, ICE agents arrived just as the restaurant was opening for lunch. Owner Bo Blair told The Washingtonian that agents entered through public entrances but ultimately backed off after being denied access to employees.
At Pupatella, general manager Michael Jones described the interaction as “cordial” and noted that agents did not enter the premises. Meanwhile, some establishments were given verbal warnings or brief notice of upcoming inspections, according to NBC4.
Mayor Muriel Bowser responded swiftly, criticizing the raids as disruptive and politically motivated. “It doesn’t look like they’re targeting criminals,” she said. “This is not an MPD action.” Bowser emphasized that D.C.’s Metropolitan Police had no involvement in the federal enforcement sweep.
The coordinated effort reflects a broader escalation in immigration policy under the direction of the Trump administration. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Monday unveiled a voluntary repatriation program that offers $1,000 to illegal immigrants who opt to return to their home countries through the CBP Home App.
The program is aimed at fast-tracking deportations while reducing the burden on immigration courts and detention facilities.
“If you are here illegally, self-deportation is the best, safest, and most cost-effective way to leave the United States to avoid arrest,” Noem said.
The D.C. restaurant inspections come amid renewed focus on the employment of undocumented workers, a pillar of President Trump’s broader immigration strategy. While some view the raids as necessary to uphold immigration laws, critics argue that targeting food service businesses — particularly in non-sanctuary cities — sows fear and upends local economies.