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U.S. citizen children zip-tied and detained in ICE raid on Idaho horse track

Oct 8, 2026·Location: ID

U.S. citizen children zip-tied and detained in ICE raid on Idaho horse track
Photo via investigativepost.org

On October 19, 2025, more than 200 officers from roughly 14 federal and local agencies raided La Catedral Arena, a horse track in Wilder, Idaho, under a warrant covering only five gambling suspects. About 400 attendees, including children as young as 7, were zip-tied and detained for hours; 105 people were taken into ICE custody and five were arrested on gambling charges. Lead plaintiff Juana Rodriguez, a U.S. citizen, said she was restrained for nearly four hours while holding her 3-year-old son. Anabel Romero said her children, among more than a dozen American minors detained, remain deeply shaken, with her 7-year-old son later warning his older sister ahead of another race, 'Watch out for ICE, make sure you have your phone to film — I'll come save you.' A lawsuit alleges officers used racial epithets and denied food, water, and medical care; four protesters were also arrested, with most charges later dropped. U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill ordered 15-16 detainees released, ruling mandatory detention violated due process, and awarded about $87,000 in attorneys' fees.

Timeline

Oct 8, 2026—Report described more than a dozen American children detained during the raid and lasting trauma experienced by affected families.
Oct 6, 2026—Report detailed children being zip-tied and U.S. citizens detained in the mass raid, including a lawsuit and judge's ruling ordering release of detainees.
Oct 19, 2025—Over 200 officers raided La Catedral Arena horse track in Wilder, Idaho, zip-tying and detaining about 400 people, including children, under a warrant for five gambling suspects.
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