The Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) (ICE), which has been detaining Mexican immigrant Ruperto Vicens Marquez, a co-owner of Mexican restaurant Emilio's Kitchen and a visa that allows him to work legally in the United States until 2029. Despite being supported by the community and released from a detention center, Marquez's return to the kitchen has not deterred him from returning to the job. The surge in ICE detentions is affecting the entire restaurant industry, with staff shortages and long-standing industry challenges making it harder to staff kitchens and keep businesses running. Many American citizens are afraid to come to work out of fear of arrest or deportation. ICE detained more than 8,300 New Jerseyans in 2025, nearly triple the number from 2024, and more than half of those detained were deported. The pace of detainments suggests 2026 numbers will surpass last year's total.