Trump's Hate and ICE Gestapo. Federal Agents leave Trail of Destruction
- Jon Litle
- Aug 7, 2025
- 2 min read
Foreword: How did we reach this moment, where ICE—the federal immigration police—can drop into a Pittsburgh-area restaurant with no warrant, trash the kitchen, terrify families, and disappear with workers in handcuffs, like some dark force out of a totalitarian playbook? Follow the money, always: just over two decades ago, ICE operated on a $2b budget. Now, after Congress delivered the “big beautiful bill,” that war chest has exploded to over $45b. That’s not border enforcement. That’s the militarization of America’s interior: targeting tamale vendors, roofers, hotel maids, busboys—turning everyday workers into fugitives and families into victims of state-sanctioned callousness. Where is the compassion? Where is the “welcome the immigrant” ethos so many profess to believe? The religious right hails family values yet funds the agency tearing these families apart. The cognitive dissonance is staggering. ICE just raided Emiliano’s in Cranberry, PA, no warrant, no humanity. We need to talk about this.
I’m still shaken. Today, federal agents stormed Emiliano’s Mexican Restaurant in Cranberry Township a beloved local spot, a place where families gather, where culture is celebrated, and where hard working people make a living. No warrant. No warning. Just rifles, battering rams, and fear.
They trashed the kitchen. Flipped the walk in coolers. Dumped food. Broke doors. There was even a fire in the kitchen. Seven people were detained at this location alone. All while customers were eating, staff were working, and families were simply trying to live their lives.
This wasn’t just an immigration raid. It was a violent disruption of our community. Legal workers, documented immigrants, and American citizens were all caught in the chaos. The only thing ICE seemed to care about was skin color and accents. It was racial profiling, plain and simple.
Emiliano’s isn’t just a restaurant. It’s a symbol of the vibrant Latino culture that enriches Pennsylvania. It’s jobs. It’s family. It’s dignity. And today, it was violated.
If you think this doesn’t affect you, think again. These raids destroy trust, tear apart families, and destabilize local economies. They send a message that anyone who looks “foreign” is a target. That’s not the America I believe in.
The Emiliano’s family has vowed to reopen, to keep feeding this city with love and purpose. But they need us. The families affected need us. Our community needs to stand up and say: enough.
This is unconstitutional. This is inhumane. And this is happening under our noses.
Please share this. Talk about it. Show up. Support Emiliano’s and other immigrant owned businesses. Call your representatives. Demand accountability.
We can’t let fear win. Not here. Not now.
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