MOUNT VERNON — An Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) spokesperson said special agents arrested five illegal aliens during the Oct. 9 operation in Mount Vernon related to Panchos Tacos, including three who had previously been removed from the U.S.
Knox Pages reached the ICE media email for the Midwest on Wednesday afternoon, which also represented HSI. HSI is a directorate of ICE.
The spokesperson quoted below is based out of the ICE HSI Detroit Field Office.
Panchos Tacos is closed until further notice, according to its Facebook post.
“Working off a tip, ICE HSI agents conducted an immigration enforcement operation to further a criminal investigation in the Edgewood Road area of Mount Vernon, Ohio,” the ICE HSI spokesperson said.
According to the spokesperson, “a bystander attempted to block and impede our [ICE HSI] officers from leaving the area.”
The spokesperson said that during the operation, two special agents experienced contusions and lacerations as “an illegal alien was resisting arrest.”
Additionally, the spokesperson said, “At no point did officers enter a business.”
The ICE HSI spokesperson confirmed that this remains an ongoing criminal investigation into violations of federal law.
More information on those arrested
According to the spokesperson, “Four arrests took place over a half a mile away, with the final arrest taking place in a parking lot.”
The spokesperson said authorities arrested one illegal alien who “had a final removal order” and had previously been removed to Mexico four different times between 2008 and 2010.
Border Patrol apprehended another one of the illegal aliens twice in 2022 and previously removed that individual to Mexico, according to the ICE HSI spokesperson.
“An additional illegal alien was apprehended by Border Patrol and removed to Mexico twice in 2023 and twice in 2024,” the spokesperson said.
All of the individuals arrested during the operation in Mount Vernon “remain in custody pending immigration proceedings,” the ICE HSI spokesperson said.
The spokesperson also stated that anyone with further information about the operation in Mount Vernon is encouraged to call the tip line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE or submit a tip online.