Executive Summary
- ICE, HSI, and IRS agents executed 16 search warrants across southern Arizona.
- The investigation focuses on alleged immigration and tax violations.
- Operational activity was reported at a restaurant on Tucson’s west side.
- Multiple individuals were taken into federal custody during the operation.
- Protesters gathered near the scene as agents conducted the raid.
Federal agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), accompanied by IRS personnel, executed a series of search warrants across southern Arizona on Friday, targeting alleged immigration and tax violations.
The operation was visibly centered in the parking lot of Taco Giro, a restaurant located near St. Mary’s Road and Grande Avenue on the west side of Tucson. According to a statement provided by ICE officials, the activity was part of a broader enforcement action involving the execution of 16 federal search warrants.
“Special agents and officers from ICE Homeland Security Investigations and IRS joined by federal partners, are executing 16 search warrants in southern Arizona related to immigration and tax violations,” the agency stated. Authorities confirmed that multiple individuals have been taken into custody as part of the investigation, though specific numbers were not immediately released pending confirmation.
As federal law enforcement personnel conducted the operation, witnesses reported that dozens of protesters gathered in the immediate vicinity of the restaurant.
Investigative Scope
The collaboration between Homeland Security Investigations and the Internal Revenue Service suggests a complex investigation focusing on the financial infrastructure potentially supporting immigration violations. The execution of 16 simultaneous warrants indicates a coordinated effort to dismantle a specific network rather than isolated enforcement actions. While the operation has resulted in multiple detentions, the presence of protesters highlights the continued community sensitivity surrounding federal immigration enforcement in the region. It is important to note that all individuals taken into custody are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
