Homeland Security Investigations issued notices to several prominent dining establishments suspected of having employees who appeared to be “unauthorized to work” in the US.
At least five restaurants in Washington, D.C., have lost a combined total of more than 130 workers following a federal probe into hiring illegal labor. According to a report by The Washington Post, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) issued notices in mid-February to several prominent dining establishments suspected of having employees who appeared to be "unauthorized to work in the United States." As a result, the targeted employees were either fired or voluntarily left their positions.
The enforcement action stems from a federal investigation that began in May 2025. HSI agents had requested I-9 employment eligibility verification forms from roughly 190 businesses, mainly restaurants, in the DC area. After months of reviewing the paperwork, HSI issued its first batch of notices on February 12 to three D.C. restaurants.
On February 13, the eve of Valentine's Day, one restaurant received a notice that stated it appeared that 32 of its 46 employees "appear unauthorized to work in the United States," according to an HSI letter obtained by The Washington Post. The owner of the restaurant told the paper that immediately pulling roughly 70 percent of his workforce would have negatively impacted his business during one of the busiest holiday weekends, so he did not inform his staff until the following Monday.
"I'm trying to fight for as many as I can," the proprietor said, who asked to remain anonymous out of fear of retaliation. 11 days later, 29 of his employees, including line cooks, line preps, bartenders, managers, and servers, sent in resignation notices, he said.
At least six other establishments in the nation's capital received similar HSI notices around the same time period. The paper reported that more than 130 employees are no longer employed at five of the restaurants, leaving the businesses scrambling to find replacements to keep afloat.
"I think everybody's going to get [notices] eventually," immigration lawyer Becki Young told The Post. "I think that it's a rare restaurant that doesn't have a single person on their roster with questionable documents."
Homeland Security Investigations, the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) investigative arm, has been targeting businesses suspected of hiring unlawful labor since President Trump enacted mass immigration enforcement operations in January 2025, when the president reentered the White House. Businesses can face immense penalties, with owners being subjected to jail time.
"The employment of illegal aliens incentivizes dangerous and illegal practices, including social security fraud," HSI said in a statement. "As we saw during a recent worksite operation in Nebraska, many illegal aliens use stolen social security numbers and identities to unlawfully obtain wages, health benefits, and employment authorization. Behind every stolen social security number uncovered [in] these operations is a real American — mothers, fathers, students, and disabled workers — now facing devastatingfinancial, emotional, and legal fallout."
Members of the public can report immigration-related crimes or suspicious activity by calling (866-347-2423) or completing the online tip form.
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