Alarming Immigration Raid at Idaho Race Track Raises Concerns for Families

Sun Nov 02 2025 00:33:45 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

An FBI-led immigration enforcement operation at La Catedral Arena in Idaho involved the detainment of approximately 400 individuals, including children, sparking outrage among the local Hispanic community and drawing accusations of excessive force by law enforcement.

On October 19, a raid conducted at a privately owned race track in Idaho led to the detention of around 400 people amid an FBI investigation into illegal gambling. The operation saw law enforcement officers using aggressive tactics, including zip-ties on minors, as families reported traumatic experiences witnessing the events unfold. The raid intensified fears regarding immigration enforcement practices, particularly within the local Hispanic population. Key figures, including Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, faced scrutiny over claims of excessive force and the treatment of citizens and legal residents amid rising immigration crackdowns.

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — The first sign something was amiss was the thwack of helicopter rotors overhead, followed by screams. Anabel Romero found herself on the ground, restrained as law enforcement officers brandishing guns extracted her 14-year-old daughter from their vehicle, zip-tied the teen while her young siblings looked on with horror.

The incident was part of a larger FBI-led operation on October 19 that resulted in around 400 detentions related to an investigation into illegal gambling, most arrests connected to immigration violations.

Romero, alongside her daughter, are U.S. citizens caught in a dramatic enforcement action which has raised alarms regarding the treatment of families and the extent of immigration enforcement in the community.

The operation highlighted how immigration enforcement has increasingly intertwined with law enforcement actions, citing historical shifts under the Trump administration aimed at mass deportation policies evident during the raid at La Catedral Arena, where over 200 officers from at least 14 agencies responded.

Reportedly, officers utilized heavy-handed tactics, raising allegations about excessive force during the operation, especially concerning the treatment of minors—accounts surfaced detailing children as young as 11 being zip-tied as families expressed shock and fear during the chaotic scene.

In interviews, multiple families noted officers' excessive force, claiming that complyers to the law were treated like criminals. Reports also indicate officers allegedly used rubber bullets and flashbangs, further raising concerns about public safety during what was supposed to be a community event.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and local police officials faced backlash for their claims regarding the methods used by officers, denying that children were harmed, despite contradicting accounts from witnesses present during the arrests.

The event struck a particularly sensitive chord in Canyon County, Idaho, home to a significant Hispanic population and one of the areas that overwhelmingly supported Trump.

Romero, experiencing the aftermath of the raid, noted about her daughter’s lasting trauma that left young children terrified about encountering law enforcement in the future, raising alarming questions about community policing and the psychological impact of such raids on families.