A video from a restaurant in Brooklyn, New York, appears to show a manager threatening to call ICE after workers asked to be paid the wages they say they were owed.
The video, shared on social media, shows a confrontation outside Flaming Grill in Brooklyn. The workers say they came to collect the rest of their pay. They were allegedly promised $20 an hour but received only half of that on payday.
In the video, the person filming says, “He says he’s gonna call ICE on me. Just to avoid paying, sometimes they say they’re gonna call ICE on you. The address is 5286 Street, here in Brooklyn, New York. It’s called Flaming Grill.”
The man identified by the workers as the manager says, “I will call you ICE because you don’t have papers.”
The workers respond, “That’s what you do with all the workers?” After appearing to call ICE, the manager can be heard saying he wants to show the workers how he will “cheat” them.
Under New York law, employers cannot threaten to report workers to immigration authorities as retaliation for asking to be paid. The New York Attorney General’s Office says employers who do this without a valid reason can face both criminal and civil penalties.
A 2021 New York law makes using a worker’s immigration status to threaten or retaliate against them a Class A misdemeanor. The offense can carry up to 364 days in jail and a $1,000 fine.
Internet Reacts to the New York ICE Threat Video
The clip sparked debate online. One commenter focused on the employer’s legal exposure: “He should be charged with knowingly hiring undocumented. It’s against the law.” Another split the blame: “The employer is wrong for not paying what was agreed. The employees are wrong because they are in the country illegally and should leave. Two wrongs never make a right.”
A third noted the restaurant’s risk regardless: “That shop can get in big trouble for doing that even if the employees are not legal.” One commenter turned the tables: “Bro thinks ICE won’t come for him too with that thick accent.”
Another made a pointed suggestion: “Workers should call ICE themselves and have him reported for hiring them despite knowing they have no documents – let him pay the price also.”
The incident comes as similar complaints have increased. In May 2026, Documented NY reported a rise in cases where employers allegedly threatened workers with deportation if they asked for unpaid wages. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg told the outlet that calls to his wage theft hotline have dropped because many workers are afraid to report violations.
