On October 19, 2025, La Catedral Arena in Wilder, Idaho, became the focal point of a large-scale enforcement operation involving over 200 officers from various agencies, including the FBI, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Idaho State Police, and local police departments. The raid, part of a multi-year FBI investigation, targeted suspected unlicensed gambling, which is illegal under both Idaho and federal law.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has since initiated a class-action lawsuit on behalf of Latino families who were present during the raid. The lawsuit alleges that approximately 400 individuals, among them toddlers and teens, were unlawfully detained for hours without access to basic necessities such as food, water, or bathrooms.
Media outlets have largely focused on the personal stories emerging from the event, featuring accounts of zip-tied minors and claims of heavy-handed tactics used by officials. One notable incident involved U.S. citizen Juana Rodriguez, who recounted the distress her 3-year-old son experienced while she was restrained. Another report highlighted the experience of 14-year-old SueHey, who was allegedly zip-tied during the operation.
Canyon County Sheriff Kieran Donahue, who was part of the raid, acknowledged the bruising on a minor's wrists depicted in images but insisted that the operation was executed lawfully and in an orderly fashion. "Law enforcement is not evil because we contained everybody and detained them until we sorted it out. That’s not evil,” he stated in an interview with CBS News.
Officials from ICE and Homeland Security have also rejected claims that their agents zip-tied children, maintaining that all actions taken were within their legal authority. They emphasized that temporary detention and restraint were necessary to maintain order during the extensive investigation.
Although only five individuals were charged with gambling-related offenses, 105 attendees were taken into immigration custody, and the rest were released after verifying their lawful status, as reported by East Idaho News. Sheriff Donahue described ICE's role as supportive and secondary, with their main task being to assist in identifying those not legally present in the United States.
The lawsuit seeks damages, attorney fees, and a declaration that constitutional violations occurred, specifically citing unreasonable seizure and denial of equal protection. While no court rulings have been made at this point, responses from law enforcement agencies to the specific allegations are pending. Nampa Mayor Rick Hogaboam has expressed the city's commitment to handling the legal process with integrity and professionalism.
Contrasting the official statements, media coverage has largely centered on the human impact of the raid, particularly on the families and children involved. Images and narratives from the event have sparked a conversation about the balance between law enforcement objectives and civil liberties.
