A quiet dining room, a locked front door, a handwritten sign taped to the window. One restaurant is even offering free meals from volunteer workers “until the occupation of Minneapolis is over.”
Across Minnesota, scenes like these have become increasingly common as heightened Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity ripples through the restaurant industry, disrupting workers, owners, and entire neighborhoods.
Los Ocampo
One of the most visible examples came from Los Ocampo, a well-known Mexican restaurant group in the Twin Cities. Earlier this month, the family-owned business temporarily closed all of its locations, citing “ongoing federal activity.” Owners said the decision was made to prioritize employee safety amid growing fear and uncertainty, even though the closures meant significant financial losses.
Modern Times Café
In south Minneapolis, Modern Times Café responded differently. Rather than closing outright, the restaurant transformed itself into a free and donation-based community-focused space during periods of heightened ICE presence. The owner wrote an Instagram post explaining his reasons for the decision, including not wanting to generate taxes for the government anymore, and that “…everyone is welcome EXCEPT ICE.”
Don Pablo’s Mexican Restaurant
Outside the Twin Cities, Don Pablo’s Mexican Restaurant in Fergus Falls and Detroit Lakes temporarily shut down locations after what owners described as disruptions tied to immigration enforcement. At least one location later reopened, but the closures highlighted how ICE activity is affecting restaurants far beyond metro areas.
Neighborhood taquerias and cafés
Smaller, independent restaurants — many of them immigrant-owned — have also been impacted, even if they haven’t made headlines. Some have quietly reduced hours, canceled dine-in service, or closed for protest days as workers stayed home out of fear. Owners say customer traffic dropped sharply during enforcement surges.
(One small family-owned business in Minnesota was the target of an ICE raid, resulting in arrests of several restaurant employees.)
A fragile industry under pressure
Restaurant advocates warn that these disruptions come at a time when many Minnesota eateries are already struggling with thin margins, high food costs, and labor shortages. For some, even a few days of closure can have lasting consequences.
As ICE operations continue and community protests grow, Minnesota’s restaurant scene finds itself on the front lines — caught between economic survival and the safety of the people who keep kitchens running.
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