(WILDER, ID) – Federal agents are facing accusations of excessive force after a large-scale raid targeting illegal gambling at a racetrack in Wilder, Idaho, resulted in the detention of hundreds of spectators, including children. More than 200 officers from the FBI, Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, and other agencies descended on La Catedral Arena on Sunday. The American Civil Liberties Union of Idaho alleges that agents used military-style tactics, firing rubber bullets into the crowd and zip-tying the hands of everyone present.
Witnesses reported that children were separated from their parents during the operation, leading to what one lawyer described as severe trauma for those involved. While the raid led to the arrest of track owner Ivan Tellez and four others on gambling-related charges, the involvement of ICE in a betting investigation has raised significant civil rights concerns. The FBI confirmed that ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations division was present to process individuals with potential immigration violations, a role it described as separate from the criminal investigation. In the wake of the public outcry, a planned FBI news conference on the matter was abruptly canceled.
