Idaho Racetrack Raid Sparks Outrage Over Immigration Detentions and Federal Tactics
A routine family day at a small Idaho racetrack turned into a large-scale federal operation that left attendees shaken and demanding answers.
LISTEN TO THIS ARTICLE:On Sunday afternoon, La Catedral Arena in Wilder – a rural community west of Boise that typically draws hundreds of visitors, many from Idaho's Spanish-speaking population – was surrounded by helicopters, drones and scores of uniformed officers. The FBI says roughly 200 personnel from multiple agencies, including Homeland Security, the Drug Enforcement Administration, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Canyon County Sheriff’s Office and Idaho State Police, were involved in the operation targeting alleged illegal horse race betting.
Officials confirmed four arrests tied to the gambling probe: Ivan Tellez of Wilder; Samuel Bejarano and Dayana Fajardo of Nyssa, Oregon; and Alejandro Estrada of Buhl. Federal authorities emphasized that the action was focused on alleged unlawful wagering activities at the track.
But witnesses and local lawyers say the scene resembled an immigration sweep more than a gambling investigation. Several attendees reported that agents detained and questioned families about their immigration status. Multiple accounts say children were temporarily restrained with zip ties as agents processed people in the crowd.
Nikki Ramirez-Smith, an immigration lawyer based in Nampa who rushed to the venue after receiving frantic calls from clients, described the aftermath: "When I arrived, dozens of families were gathered outside, terrified and searching for missing relatives. People who had come for a community outing were treated like suspects. Parents were separated from children; some minors were handcuffed with zip ties while officers conducted immigration checks. Many of those detained are U.S. citizens or lawful residents and left with no clear explanation of why they had been held."
Onlookers also reported a tense standoff at the track entrance when relatives attempted to approach officers to inquire about detainees. According to multiple witnesses, law enforcement used less-lethal munitions, including rubber bullets, to disperse crowds that pressed toward the perimeter.
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By nightfall, most people detained were released, but many said they were given little information about what had occurred or why. Local advocacy organizations, including the American Civil Liberties Union and PODER of Idaho, have called for an independent review of the operation, arguing that the heavy presence of immigration agents blurred the line between a criminal gambling probe and an immigration enforcement action.
Viviana Gonzalez, who said her parents run a clothing stand at the racetrack, recounted seeing the incident unfold on a video call: "I watched agents surround my parents and saw them zip-tied on camera. They also bound my 13-year-old sister, who is a U.S. citizen, for several hours before releasing her. My family has been left traumatized and terrified to return to community events. No one has explained why this happened to them."
Representatives for the FBI declined to hold a previously scheduled press briefing about the operation, saying only that the investigation targeted illegal gambling and that the arrests were related to alleged wagering violations. Federal officials did not immediately address the reported detentions of U.S. citizens or the use of restraints on minors.
Legal observers say such mixed-agency deployments can raise constitutional and civil rights issues when immigration enforcement overlaps with criminal investigations. A spokesperson for a local civil liberties group warned that "when immigration agents and criminal investigators operate side by side in community settings, it creates fear and chills participation in lawful civic life – especially among immigrant families who are otherwise integrated members of the community."
Families and community leaders are pressing for transparency. They want to know why federal immigration agents were present in such numbers, whether proper protocols were followed when minors were restrained, and who will take responsibility for the confusion and distress that followed what had been a day of food, raffles and family activities.
Local attorneys have said they will monitor the situation closely and are exploring legal options for those who say they were unlawfully detained or mistreated. Advocacy groups have requested an independent inquiry and documentation from federal agencies about the operation's scope, chain of command and decision-making.
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