ICE detains Venezuelan restaurant owner in El Paso

Jorge Luis Vílchez López, a Venezuelan citizen and owner of the Caracas Latin Food restaurant in El Paso, Texas, was taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on July 16, 2024. Vílchez entered the United States in September 2019 on a visa that expired in March 2020 and had a pending asylum application before an immigration judge. Shortly before his arrest, his restaurant had been used as a collection point for donations to victims of the June 24 earthquakes in Venezuela, earning him praise from the local Venezuelan community.

He is being held at the Otero County Processing Center in New Mexico while his case proceeds through the immigration court system. Family members have launched a fundraising campaign to cover legal fees and possible bail, stating, "Jorge has never been arrested, has always respected the law, and is a good person for his community." Despite the detention, the restaurant says it will continue to operate as usual.