Agents stand at La Catedral Arena in Wilder, Idaho in 2025 (Sally Krutzig/Idaho Statesman/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers grilled the people about their immigration status, according to the suit, which alleges, "No one was set free unless and until they verified lawful presence in the United States."
Plaintiffs include parents and children, who are either American citizens or lawful permanent residents, who were detained during the episode and only released "after verifying lawful status," the suit indicates.
One of the American plaintiffs, Juana Rodriguez, described the ordeal as a "nightmare," according to an American Civil Liberties Union press release about the suit.
"What happened turned our outing into a nightmare. My toddler was forced to witness an incredible amount of violence against people he loves and hear racial slurs about Latinos, experiences that no child should ever be exposed to. I'll never forget hearing his little voice pleading with me to give him food and water for hours on end. As a parent, nothing is more heartbreaking than hearing your child cry out in fear and being told you cannot hold or comfort them," Rodriguez said, according to the press release.
DEM LAWMAKER COMPARES ICE AGENTS TO NAZIS AND GESTAPO DURING FIERY HOUSE HEARING ON ENFORCEMENT
The logo of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) (PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images)
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"A federal search warrant was served on October 19 by approximately 200 law enforcement personnel from federal, state, and local agencies, targeting an illegal gambling operation in Wilder, Idaho," the release stated.
Alex Nitzberg is a writer for Fox News Digital.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/idaho-families-sue-over-federal-immigration-enforcement-horse-racing-track