Three Guatemalan taqueria workers detained in Tallahassee ICE operation, restaurant closes
Reginaldo Quej, Erwin Orlando Xoy Acaham, and Catherine Migdalia Rax Sis, all from Guatemala and employed at Chile & Chili's Taqueria in northwest Tallahassee, were detained on September 25, 2026 after ICE and Florida Highway Patrol attempted to stop a vehicle near West Tennessee Street suspected of carrying someone without legal status. The vehicle pulled onto the restaurant's property, and the occupants fled on foot before being caught and handcuffed. ICE said the taqueria was not the target of the operation. Owner Shannon Tenorio described the three as 'good people trying to make a living' and said they were in the process of finalizing their immigration paperwork; remaining staff quit days later out of fear, prompting the location to close. An immigration attorney said none of the three had a serious or prior criminal history, though Quej has a final removal order, Xoy Acaham has requested voluntary departure, and Rax Sis remains in ongoing proceedings; all three stayed in ICE custody. Community members launched a GoFundMe that raised nearly $13,000 for the workers' families, and the Tallahassee Immigrant Rights Alliance organized a protest rally at the restaurant.


















