Sammy’s Mexican Grill ICE controversy

Posted on 02/12/26 at 13:06

Mexican Restaurant in Arizona at the Center of Debate
Free Meals for ICE Agents
Community Backlash Grows

A Mexican restaurant in Arizona has found itself at the center of controversy after it was revealed that it offers free food to agents of ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement), amid immigration raids that have drawn widespread criticism.

The backlash erupted after an image of a sign inside the establishment went viral. The sign reads:

“Sammy’s Mexican Grill, where law enforcement always eats free.”

The business, identified as Sammy’s Mexican Grill, is owned by Betty and Jorge Rivas—she is Mexican, and he is originally from El Salvador.

Sammy’s Mexican Grill Shows Open Support for ICE and Trump

Restaurante mexicano desata polémica por apoyar a ICE, Sammy’s Mexican Grill ICE controversy — Sammy’s Mexican Grill ICE controversy

On the restaurant’s official Facebook page, a profile image states that ICE agents eat free. The page also includes multiple pro-Donald Trump posts and messages supporting immigration enforcement operations.

In several photos, the owners are seen wearing hats and shirts featuring slogans such as “Trump” and “Latinos for Trump.”

Community Reaction

Restaurante mexicano desata polémica por apoyar a ICE — Sammy’s Mexican Grill ICE controversy

Social media users described the gesture as a “betrayal of the Latino and immigrant community,” arguing that it is unacceptable for a business that benefits from Mexican culture to publicly support an agency that has been accused by critics of human rights violations during immigration raids.