NEED TO KNOW
- ICE agents in full tactical gear detained a 60-year-old woman selling tamales on a Los Angeles sidewalk
- The Homeland Security raid targeted “unauthorized street cuisine,” according to agency officials
- Dozens of Tamales were confiscated as “evidence of unlawful deliciousness”
Los Angeles, CA – ICE Treats Tamales Like National Threat
A 60-year-old grandmother selling tamales in East Los Angeles was swarmed by ICE agents in tactical gear Thursday morning in what officials dubbed “Operation Masa Control.”
Witnesses described a scene that looked more like a blockbuster raid than a sidewalk snack stand. Agents issued commands like “Step away from the steamer!” and “Drop the husk!” as they took down the vendor using zip ties and what one bystander called “military-grade intimidation.”
Authorities Say Tamales Pose ‘Soft Power Risk’
Homeland Security confirmed the operation, citing concerns over “unauthorized food-based gatherings.” Officials claim that unlicensed tamales may foster unregulated joy and, worse, cultural pride. A DHS spokesperson told reporters, “We take food threats seriously, especially those seasoned without bureaucratic oversight.”
When asked if the woman had posed a risk to national security, the spokesperson shrugged and said, “She had green salsa. We can’t take chances.”
Backlash Heats Up Like Salsa Verde
Social media erupted within minutes. The hashtag #FreeAbuela shot to the top of trending charts, with users posting memes of tamales behind bars and ICE agents confiscating crockpots. Comedian George Lopez tweeted, “You raid my grandma’s cart, you raid my heart.”
Legal groups condemned the raid. ACLU attorneys said this represents a disturbing trend of “weaponized bureaucracy against the deliciously vulnerable.” Meanwhile, culinary activists organized an emergency fundraiser: “Tamales for Bail.”
More Raids May Target Flavor Hotspots
DHS sources suggest this is just the beginning. Rumors swirl of upcoming raids on pupusa stands, elote carts, and churro wagons. One agent, speaking anonymously, admitted, “We’ve been told to neutralize any snacks that smell like seasoning and happiness.”
Meanwhile, the detained woman remains in custody, her apron seized as potential evidence. Supporters are demanding her release and the return of the tamales, some of which were last seen being carried to a DHS break room “for further investigation.”
Quote of the moment
They treated her like she was smuggling state secrets in masa
Ernesto Vega, eyewitness and lifelong tamale customer
