The owners of a popular Honesdale restaurant pushed back Friday against suggestions they knew three employees arrested by federal agents a day earlier were undocumented immigrants.
“To our knowledge, each of these individuals has legal asylum status in the United States, and we are fully cooperating with the authorities as they conduct their investigation,” they wrote.
WVIA called the restaurant on Friday looking to speak with the Skiriotises. A person who answered the phone said they were not available, and referred questions to the statement.
An ICE spokesman at the agency's Philadelphia regional office issued a statement later Friday confirming the raid.
"Immigration and Customs Enforcement can confirm that ICE Philadelphia conducted a worksite enforcement operation at Elegante Restaurant and Pizzeria in Honesdale, Pennsylvania," the spokesman said. "Three illegal aliens were arrested. As this is an ongoing investigation, we have no further releasable information at this time.”
The Skiriotises did not identify the employees in the post, but said ICE agents mistakenly arrested a restaurant employee before.
“In a similar instance in the past, a valued team member was detained but ultimately released after immigration officials confirmed their legal status,” the Skiriotises wrote. “We remain hopeful that the same thorough process will lead to a fair outcome for the individuals involved.”
They described the three as “hardworking, dedicated individuals who are like family to us.”
“We are deeply saddened by the way people can be judged based solely on appearance or where they come from, rather than who they are and how they live their lives,” they wrote.
The removal of the employees forced the restaurant to close Thursday, but it was open Friday.
If the three aren’t permitted to remain in the United States, “we understand that the law must be upheld,” they wrote.
“Our hope, however, is that due process will bring clarity and fairness to this situation,” they said.
Honesdale Mayor Derek Williams said he and friends watched as the raid went down Thursday morning.
Williams said he learned a raid might be imminent because a friend told him about plain-clothed ICE agents hanging around near the courthouse.
“Me and this same friend and colleague went over there to see ourselves what was going on,” Williams said. “We saw them come out of the courthouse, still plain-clothed, and then get in vehicles, (and) go back to the back of the courthouse in those vehicles.”
Behind the courthouse, the ICE agents suited up in masks and vests.
“From there, they left and went right to the Elegante,” he said. “So, we followed them over there. They had vehicles parked out front, out back. The restaurant was closed down, and they were hanging out for probably two, three hours, I would say total, maybe even four (hours).”
Eventually, the agents emerged with two men and one woman.
“I don’t have their names yet, but I know them from the community, just being a good neighbor and saying hello all the time,” he said. “And they're very sweet folks who live and work here.”
He said Wayne County detectives aided the raid this time, unlike another raid at the restaurant in March. He doesn’t know who was arrested then.
“They lawyered up, and it was determined they were here legally, and they were brought back,” Williams said.
Borough police did not directly help raid the restaurant but had to direct traffic because an ICE vehicle “parked awkwardly right on Main Street.”
He does not know if the previously arrested person was among the three arrested Thursday.
