Liberty, Mo. – Late Friday morning, protector of El Potro Mexican Cafe and Cantina in Liberty, Missouri began publishing video and pictures of federal agents in the restaurant.

“We were ready to open. And they came in at 11:40,” explained Yadira de la Torre, manager and daughter of the owners. “My dad was the first person to see them.”

Ryan Gamboa/KSHB

Her father, family colleagues told KSHB 41 communicated with federal agents through a large language barrier. De la Torre says that agents were later identified as Homeland Security Investigation’s agents were looking for an individual.

“They all come here with weapons,” she said. “They are officials. What can you say to them? What can’t you say,” You know? We don’t know our rights. “

De La Torre says she followed the agents’ wishes and fulfilled their request to search and request documentation from employees.

“They all gathered. They were in each door. It was like 15 of them and they just started putting all in one corner and asked for their fingerprints,” added de la Torre, “we have had this situation before, but they give you a drawing option and they say who they specifically look for. And then if they do not find the person they leave

Ryan Gamboa/KSHB

On FridayKSHB 41 spoke with Clay County Sheriff Will Akin said that the federal agents conducted a labor force and for a person who wanted a commander for a child sex break.

Clay County Sheriff’s Office said it was not aware of the operation before federal agents entered the restaurant.

Clay Co. Sheriff gives a clearer picture of HSI who removes employees from Liberty Restaurant

“They asked for names and made fingerprints,” said De la Torre. “When they were done, the van started to pull up and that was when they started handcuffs and take them out.”

Twelveh individuals were removed from the site and it is unclear with the employee’s citizen status.

De la Torre told KSHB 41 The employees have no criminal judgments and have been employed in the restaurant since it opened.

Ryan Gamboa/KSHB

“They are amazing people who have been here with us,” she said. “They are hard -working people and customers love them.”

Friday morning incident attracted attention from Jackson County legislature Manny Abarca IV. KSHB 41 took up Abarca on Saturday at a local protest after taking his own family to Liberty Restaurant.

Ryan Gamboa/KSHB

“It seems that there were several violations of the fourth amendment that depended on that situation,” Abarca said. “It was a raid. They showed up. They had no legal order they presented.”

Abarca IV says that El Potro staff described one of the employees as a 60-year-old grandmother. De la Torre said, many of the individuals who were removed were men with children. Restaurant owners believe that families are held at a facility in Kansas.

Ryan Gamboa/KSHB

“These are not criminals that they go for,” he said. “They are looking for someone without legal status and that is something that needs to be repeated.”

According to El Potro, children remain under their mothers.

“These families are separated,” dedicated de la Torre. “This is not just happening with restaurant workers. There are also construction workers. Will they continue to do this? What is next?”

Ryan Gamboa/KSHB

Much of what is next is why Abarca IV says his office wanted to get involved.

“My understanding is that the Clay Countyheriff shows up and engaged, but then flagged from it. There are all these discussions that must be, along jurisdictions to say:” What happens when federal authorities show up? “The idea that they have to compromise and work with them, that’s not what Mou (Memorandum of Understanding) says,” stated Abarca IV. “We will review our Mou from Jackson County Sheriff’s Department to make sure to understand what exactly that relationship is. And if there is an obligation not to hinder, it is 100% understanding, but it does not say we have to follow.”

Ryan Gamboa/KSHB

According to De la Torre, El Potro could not open his Lee’s top place on Saturday because of the staff’s fear from Friday. Many local organizations work to inform the public about what to do if immigration agents question an individual’s citizen status.

American Civil Liberties Union, ACLU offers guidelines for its Website:

How to reduce the risk to yourself

• Stay calm. Do not drive, argue, resist or hinder the official, even if you think your rights are violated. Keep their hands where the police can see them.
• Don’t lie about your status or give fake documents.

Your rights

• You have the right to be silent and do not need to discuss your immigration or citizen status with police, immigration agents or other officials. Everything you say to an officer can later be used against you in the Immigration Court.
• If you are not an American citizen and an immigration agent requests your immigration documents, you must show them if you have them with you.
• If an immigration agent asks if they can search you, you have the right to say no. Agents do not have the right to search for you or your possessions without your consent or probable cause.
• If you are over 18, carry your papers with you all the time. If you do not have them, tell the official that you want to be quiet, or that you want to consult a lawyer before answering any questions.

“Entrepreneurs must know and train their managers that they have to ask for a subscription option because we are not criminals,” added de la Torre. “We come here to support our families to just live a better life and go through this. This is not the American dream.”

Ryan Gamboa/KSHB/ACLU

KSHB 41 follows up unanswered questions, including the nature of HSI’s visit and WHO agents were looking for, if there was a violation of fourth amendment rights and where the 12 employees are held.

KSHB 41 will update you when more information becomes available.

–