Federal immigration enforcement focusing on Iron Range Mexican restaurant again

3 hours ago

Matt McConico,

Cazadores Mexican Restaurant Logo

VIRGINIA, Min. – Federal court records show Homeland Security were “conducting surveillance near the Cazadores Mexican restaurant” in Virginia.

In October 2025 agents from Border Patrol and Enforcement Removal Operations raided El Charro Mexican Bar and Grill and La Tequila Taco Shop. Both of those restaurant are in Hibbing.

The new revelation comes from federal court documents charging Jose Espinosa-Espinosa with assaulting, resisting, or impeding a Federal Officer.

The documents say on January 16, 2026 agents near Cazadores Mexican restaurant spotted a car they suspected was “transporting illegal aliens”. They were tipped off by US Border Patrol in International Falls.

Jose Espinosa-Espinosa

(Douglas County Jail)

Charging documents say federal officers approached the car. Three people got our of the car and ran towards the restaurant. The charging documents say Espinosa, who was driving the car, stayed in the vehicle.

Documents continue to say a special agent tried to open the driver’s door. That is when the car accelerated and rammed into a federal government owned Ford Explorer that was about 10-feet in front of Espinosa’s vehicle. Espinosa was then removed from the vehicle and arrested.

Documents continued to say Espinosa eventually told authorities that he was born in born in Guatemala, was a Guatemalan citizen, and in the country illegally.

The charging documents did not say if the other people that ran from the car were detained.

Espinosa is due in federal court on January 26, 2025 for his preliminary hearing.