Ann Arbor's Cafe Zola kicks out ICE Agents without warrant

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (WJBK) - Agents from US Immigration and Customs Enforcement were looking for illegal immigrants at Café Zola in Ann Arbor.

It doesn't appear they had a warrant and the owner, who wouldn't go on camera, kicked them out.

"These guys who are specifically bullies and not really cops are looking at us as a city that is theoretically a Sanctuary City," said Kevin Lesser.

ICE said that it conducts targeted immigration enforcement in compliance with federal law.  But some say that's not the problem.

"And when a place as awesome as Café Zola is, actually pushes ICE out of their doors, now this place is going to become a target," Lesser said.

ICE has targeted other Ann Arbor restaurants. In May, ICE agents came to Sava's in the morning, came back in the afternoon and detained three workers with immigration issues.  Yet the public supported the restaurant.

"Their labor is something that is meant to be supported," said Jules Botham. "We have people coming in needing money for help with legal funds for them."

"We commend this gentleman for doing what he did," said Lynn Wiggins, from Restaurant Opportunities for Michigan. "If it was legal or not, I can't speak on that. He kicked ICE out. In the time of universal deceit, we must tell the truth and we have to resist these forces that try to squander what we have left of a democracy."

If ICE agents want to come to a restaurant to eat or drink, they can, if they want to go in the back area of the restaurant or arrest someone inside, they need a warrant."

And in a statement ICE, it said "Yesterday's enforcement operations were a part of routine, daily targeted operations conducted by ICE in this region and around the country every day, targeting criminal aliens and other immigration violators."