Mambo Seafood restaurants raided
HOUSTON -- Immigration agents rushed into two Houston seafood restaurants Wednesday and arrested more than two dozen employees. It happened at the Mambo Seafood Restaurants in northwest and northeast Houston.
The agency arrested 33 people. Thirty-one remained in custody at last check. Two were released for humanitarian reasons.
Agents also raided the Mambo Seafood Corporate office. They walked out with boxes of evidence but didn't release details about what they found.
An Immigration Customs and Enforcement spokesperson said the agency was exercising a court order.
"We will secure the facility and make sure that the business that we are conducting is not affected in any way," said ICE Spokesperson Greg Palmore.
In a statement the restaurants’ management said; "We are cooperating fully with the ICE inquiry and it is our intention to restore normal operations to the affected restaurants as soon as possible."
It is unclear when the restaurants will be open for business again.
The chain employs between 400 to 450 people in the Houston area and has seven restaurants.
