Business Alleges ICE Audit Followed Public Criticism (Full Transcript)

[00:00:00] Speaker 1: We've been vocal in our opposition to ICE here in Minnesota for a while. We've been giving out free whistles to the community as a way to alert when ICE is present. And my daughter, Abigail, who's co-owner with us, she was on ABC News. Three hours later, we were served with an audit from two ICE agents that came into the store.

[00:00:25] Speaker 2: So after you publicly spoke out against ICE, you suddenly got two agents at your door.

[00:00:32] Speaker 1: Yep, exactly.

[00:00:34] Speaker 2: Demanding what?

[00:00:35] Speaker 1: They're demanding our I-9 records for our five part-time employees, none of whom are immigrants.

[00:00:39] Speaker 2: They're all born in the U.S. And those I-9 records are, where are you from?

[00:00:44] Speaker 1: Yes, exactly. That's what you have to fill out when you're first hired.

[00:00:47] Speaker 2: Why do you think they showed up?

[00:00:50] Speaker 1: At first I felt paranoid that I thought that they were doing this in retribution, but then we talked to the ACLU, we talked to our lawyer, we talked to other lawyers, and everyone we've talked to has agreed that this was retaliation for speaking out against ICE on national TV.