The Fight

On October 19, 2025, more than 200 federal, state, and local officers conducted a mass raid at La Catedral Arena, a horse racing track in Wilder, Canyon County, Idaho. The event was a popular Sunday family gathering for Latino families. Though search warrants named only 5 targets in an FBI gambling investigation, officers detained approximately 400 people — including U.S. citizens, legal residents, and children — and arrested 105 for alleged immigration violations. The ACLU filed a class-action lawsuit (Rodriguez v. Porter) in February 2026 alleging massive civil rights violations.

Key Details

The Raid (October 19, 2025)

• Location: La Catedral Arena, Wilder, Canyon County, ID (near Idaho-Oregon border)
• Agencies: ICE, FBI, Idaho State Police, Canyon County Sheriff’s Office, Caldwell PD, Nampa PD, Treasure Valley Metro Violent Crime Task Force
• Force used: Armored trucks, helicopters, flash-bang grenades, rubber bullets, guns drawn
• Detained: ~400 people held for 4+ hours without food, water, or bathroom access
• Arrested: 105 people for immigration violations
• Deported: ~75 people (per attorney estimates as of Nov 2025)
• Released: 26 people (as of Nov 2025)
• Warrant scope: Named only 5 targets in an illegal gambling investigation; warrants made no mention of immigration enforcement

Abuses Documented

• Parents and children zip-tied at gunpoint
• Rubber bullets fired into occupied vehicles
• Racial slurs used by officers
• Detainees sorted by “perceived immigration status” based on skin color
• People forcibly dragged from cars
• Officers denied bathroom access for hours

Named Plaintiff

• Juana Rodriguez — U.S. citizen born in Idaho, detained with her 3-year-old son (also a U.S. citizen)

Criminal Case

Only 5 people faced gambling charges:

• Alejandro Torres Estrada, Cesar Iniguez Orozco, Dayana Fajardo (illegal gambling)
• Samuel Bejarano Colin, Ivan Tellez (gambling + wagering information transmission)

The Lawsuit: Rodriguez v. Porter

• Filed: February 10, 2026, U.S. District Court of Idaho
• Plaintiffs: Three Latino families (U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents), class action
• Defendants: ICE, FBI, Idaho State Police, Canyon County Sheriff, Caldwell PD, Nampa PD
• Claims: Fourth Amendment (unlawful detention), Fourteenth Amendment (racial discrimination)
• Legal theory: Federal agents conspired with state/local officers to violate civil rights protections; used criminal warrants as pretext for immigration “fishing expedition”
• Court action: In November 2025, Federal Judge B. Lynn Winmill ordered 16 detainees released, citing due process violations

Why It Matters

This is one of the largest documented cases of a pretextual mass immigration raid in the current enforcement wave. The legal theory — that federal agents weaponized local law enforcement cooperation to conduct a racially-targeted immigration sweep under cover of a criminal warrant — could set precedent for challenging similar operations nationwide. The raid also illustrates how Canyon County’s deep IGSA/ICE cooperation infrastructure enabled rapid mass detention.

Sources

• The ICE Raid in Idaho Was Jarring — Marshall Project (Feb 2026)
• Idaho families sue over immigration raid — NBC News
• ACLU: A Sunday at an Idaho Racetrack — ACLU (Feb 2026)
• 105 detained in federal raid at Wilder horse track — KIVI
• Five charged in federal complaints — Idaho Press
• Lawyer: About 75 deported, 26 released — KTVB

Updates (2026-04-29)

No significant new developments found since April 13, 2026. Rodriguez v. Porter (1:26-cv-00075, D. Idaho) remains in early litigation phase. Case docket was last updated April 10, 2026 per Justia. No hearings, motions, or orders publicized since initial filing. Monitoring Civil Rights Litigation Clearinghouse and ACLU of Idaho case page for developments.

• Rodriguez v. Porter — Civil Rights Litigation Clearinghouse — case tracking page
• Rodriguez v. Porter — ACLU of Idaho — ACLU case page