ICE Arrests Six Workers at Two Kobe Japanese Restaurants in Maine

Federal immigration agents arrested six restaurant workers at Kobe Japanese Restaurant locations in South Portland and Biddeford, with three arrests at each site, according to an on-duty restaurant manager. The manager said two kitchen staff and a hibachi chef were among those taken and requested anonymity because of safety concerns. The arrests occurred Jan. 23 as part of a wider enforcement sweep that operators say has increased pressure on immigrant-owned businesses across the region.

While agents were making arrests, the manager said officers requested proof of citizenship from everyone present and did not offer a specific explanation for the actions. “All we know is that they are legal to work,” the manager said. Efforts to obtain a fuller explanation from federal authorities were not answered; spokespeople did not return emailed questions about who was arrested or why the restaurants were targeted.

The immediate business impact was tangible. The South Portland location closed the Friday after the arrests and some staff moved to the Biddeford restaurant so that location could remain open. Nearby businesses also felt the chill. Tres Leches Cake’s Flor in South Portland announced an indefinite closure, and Rachel Gavilan, the owner’s daughter, framed the decision as a community protection: “It’s not just for us. It’s for our community. We don’t want to put anyone at risk.” Gavilan said business has been “two-thirds of what’s normal for this time of the year” and that food the bakery typically leaves out for nearby students has gone untouched as families avoid public streets.

Restaurant owners and employees around Portland report similar disruptions. The enforcement campaign, known as Operation Catch of the Day, launched Jan. 22, and local reporting puts the number of detentions in the state at more than 200 since the recent surge began. Operators say the climate has led some naturalized citizens and documented residents to miss shifts out of fear. At Sur Lie, a week of work was lost when staff stayed away and the owner advised the beverage director to carry ID. Sur Lie chef Sam Helmke said the stress affects service and morale: “It doesn’t make us be our best, and we need to be our best in a city full of creative restaurants and bars.” He added, “It’s hard to put on that hat and smile every day when you’re waking up scared.”

Owners have adopted new protocols. Some businesses are posting signage to mark public versus private spaces, filming interactions with agents, limiting who speaks to officers to a single manager, and holding conversations outside locked doors. Christian de Leon, who temporarily closed two restaurants after ICE sightings and a stop of a documented legal resident, criticized the barriers to legal residency: “People say, ‘Do it the right way.’ What’s the right way? I know people who’ve been trying to do it the right way for 20-plus years.” Gabriel Campaña-Blatti, operator and bar director at Wrecktangle Pizza, described the atmosphere inside restaurants: “Staff looks to management and relies on us, asking, ‘Do you think it’s safe?’ It’s so unclear and chaotic.” He added, “But the agency isn’t caring about its own rules, so it’s a fearful situation.” Owners such as Andrew M. Volk have held trainings for staff—Volk convened his team of 10 in mid-January to prepare for encounters with agents and said, “Everyone has been holding their breath to see what happens next.”

Key questions remain unanswered: the identities and legal status of the six workers, whether warrants were used at the Kobe locations, and the full scope and legal basis of the enforcement activity. For restaurant workers and managers, the stakes are immediate: disrupted shifts, lost revenue, and a workplace culture strained by fear. For owners, the coming days will require balancing liability and hospitality as they seek clarity from federal authorities and support for affected staff.