12 restaurant workers' ICE arrests ruled unlawful by federal judge
Mar 14, 2025·Location: Liberty, MO

A federal judge ruled that the February 2025 arrests of 12 employees at El Potro Mexican Restaurant in Liberty, Missouri by armed Department of Homeland Security agents were unlawful. According to court documents, ICE officers came looking for one person believed to have a felony narcotics conviction, then had the restaurant owner bring employees in one at a time without informing them they could decline to speak with agents. The judge found 11 of the 12 arrests lacked probable cause, ruling only one lawful due to prior removal history, and found agents had prepared forms justifying the arrests that did not include facts supporting probable cause.
Sources
More incidents in Missouri
- Mother of four, University of Iowa custodian, detained by ICE, facing deportationSep 22, 2026 · Florissant, MO
- Woman with deferred action detained by ICE despite no criminal recordSep 21, 2026 · Greenwood, MO
- Afghan ex-military interpreter and green card holder detained by ICE on terrorism allegationsSep 14, 2026 · St. Louis County, MO
- Salvadoran TPS holder packs up desk as her decades-long protection nears expirationSep 8, 2026 · Marshall, MO
- Afghan man who aided U.S. troops detained by ICESep 7, 2026 · Maryland Heights, MO
- Father detained during traffic stop while working, family seeks his returnAug 21, 2026 · Independence, MO