NORTHWEST TALLAHASSEE, FL (WTXL) — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is releasing new details about what led to the detention of three Chile and Chili’s employees in northwest Tallahassee — two men and a woman — all from Guatemala who remain in ICE custody.
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An ICE spokesperson said the agency and the Florida Highway Patrol were conducting targeted immigration enforcement activities when they attempted to stop a white truck carrying someone suspected of being in the country illegally from Guatemala.
When officers initiated the stop, the driver pulled onto Chile and Chilis property, and everyone inside the vehicle immediately started running.
The ICE spokesperson said the agency did not target the restaurant.
Owner Marco Tenorio told me Wednesday the incident sent staff into panic, and a spokesperson for the business said the detainees were finalizing paperwork at the time.
"I found out through a call from a worker who was in hiding— even though he had work papers. It’s the kind of panic that grips everyone, because seeing patrol cars making violent arrests, makes people scared and sends them into a panic, and they called me: 'Marco, Marco, what is happening?' Oh my God. All I did was try to reassure them: 'Calm down, calm down, nothing is going to happen, calm down, calm down,' but I felt a sense of utter helplessness," Marco Tenorio said, translated from Spanish.
ABC 27's Brieanna Smith asked Immigration Attorney Elizabeth Ricci about each detainee's case.
She said none of the three have a serious criminal history.
According to ICE, one male was issued a final order by an immigration judge last March, and his removal is pending.
The second male is requesting a voluntary departure.
The woman is facing pending immigration proceedings.
All detainees in the meantime will remain in ICE custody.
"These are examples of people who should, at least the latter two, find out. Do they have any options available to them? Talk to an immigration attorney or an accredited representative and find out rather than signing a way that you don't want to find out and just agree to leave," Elizabeth Ricci said.
Ricci said bond hearings could be scheduled on the same or next day, depending on where the detainee is held.
Bond could only be granted if there is no history of serious criminal history and if detainees pose no flight risk.
However, where detainees are held can make it difficult for attorneys and family members to contact them.
"This was a collateral situation, right? These three people were not targeted but because of the profiling, ended up fleeing,” Ricci said. “But what people don't realize is the people who were not in the video were legal and they all quit, so this has a chilling effect.
The ICE statement came days after the incident and after immigrant rights groups mobilized in Tallahassee.
T-CARE held a protest at the Tennessee Street location Wednesday, calling for the end of 287(g) agreements.
However, the Tallahassee Police Department, Leon County Sheriff’s Office and Florida Department of Law Enforcement denied involvement.
We reached out to Tenorio for an interview to get clarification on what his employees were doing to be in the U.S. legally.
Tenorio responded to our request for comment but did not set a date to discuss the matter further.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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