Venezuelan restaurant owner detained by ICE after organizing earthquake relief for home country
Jul 16, 2026 · El Paso, TX, Venezuela

Jorge Vilchez, owner of Caracas Latin Food restaurant in El Paso, Texas, was detained by ICE on July 16, 2026. A Venezuelan national who arrived in the United States on September 22, 2019, on a visa that expired on March 21, 2020, Vilchez had recently organized a humanitarian aid campaign through his restaurant to collect food, medicine, and supplies for earthquake victims in Venezuela on June 24. According to his family, he has no criminal record and had gained recognition in the El Paso community for his relief efforts and commitment to helping others. His asylum case remains pending before an immigration judge. He is being held at the Otero County Processing Center in New Mexico. His family and friends launched fundraising campaigns, including a GoFundMe, to cover legal fees and immigration process costs, while the restaurant announced it will continue operating during normal business hours.
Timeline
Sources
More incidents in Texas
- Venezuelan man deported to Liberia despite pending habeas caseAug 21, 2026 · TX
- 5-year-old boy detained with father en route to soccer game, held at Dilley facilityAug 20, 2026 · Austin, TX
- Man arrested by ICE agents at Texas home as owner demands warrantAug 20, 2026 · Brownsville, TX
- Man forced to ground by ICE agents in Brownsville shopping plazaAug 19, 2026 · Brownsville, TX
- Construction workers detained by ICE at Texas job siteAug 19, 2026 · Weslaco, TX
- Mother and two children ordered deported after months in Texas detention campAug 18, 2026 · Dilley, TX