A popular ramen shop in Ohio is at the center of a swirling controversy after a surprise raid by federal immigration agents on Tuesday morning led to the arrest of three staff members, and a social media firestorm accusing the business of turning in its own employees.
The incident, which unfolded in the parking lot of Hiro Ramen & Tea, has sent shockwaves through the local scene and ignited outrage over on Reddit. The restaurant’s owners issued a lengthy public statement Wednesday to dispute what they call “hurtful rumors,” insisting they had no involvement in alerting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
“We would have absolutely no reason, nor any desire, to call ICE on them or another other person, ever,” Hiro stated on Instagram, emphasizing their support for the arrested workers. “These are hardworking people who we have spent the past years working side by side with.”
The raid occurred as employees were arriving at work. According to Hiro’s statement, the staff members were “accosted while pulling into the parking lot,” not inside the restaurant. The business clarified it never granted ICE entry and emphasized that no warrant was presented for the arrests.
This marked the fourth ICE raid on an Asian restaurant in Columbus within the past month, according to Hiro, fueling anxiety in a city already grappling with the chilling effects of stepped-up immigration enforcement.
Social Media Panic and Rumor Mill
In the hours after the raid, social media platforms lit up with speculation. A since-deleted Instagram story reportedly implied the restaurant may have cooperated with authorities, prompting online users to leave one-star reviews and accuse Hiro of betrayal.
That prompted a wave of pushback from community members, including a thread on Reddit where the debunking began in earnest.
“Blue Girl Gang Columbus social justice warriors start a rumor that Hiro called ICE themselves, and this family-run restaurant gets attacked with 1-star reviews,” wrote user FrozenPeonyPetals. “SMH. People who started the lies are problematic but upvoters and believers equally problematic. The enemy here is not a fellow immigrant-run restaurant… it’s ICE.”
Another commenter, u/ishkabibbel2000, added: “People make assumptions then pass them off as fact… and the lie takes on life across the internet… We need to normalize shutting the fuck up when you aren’t actually informed.”
One of the more disturbing revelations in Hiro’s statement is the legal loophole exploited during the raid. While the restaurant’s parking lot is considered private property, ICE is not required to obtain a warrant to detain individuals in what is considered a “public area” of a business.
“Sadly, they do not need a warrant to arrest anyone in what is considered public areas of a restaurant,” the statement explains. “Apparently ICE only needs a warrant to seize people in private areas… such as the kitchen or back of house.”
Legal experts have long criticized this policy as a means of bypassing constitutional protections, a concern echoed by Reddit users furious over what they see as state-sanctioned overreach.
“They are not going after criminals, they are not going after dangerous people, and we are all less safe with these armed gangs abducting our neighbors without due process,” said user UAreTheHippopotamus.
Community Fallout
The timing of the raid and the subsequent backlash has had a chilling effect, not just on Hiro Ramen, but on immigrant-owned businesses throughout the region. Several local users on Reddit described a broader pattern of targeting Asian restaurants, prompting fears that this may be more than just a matter of “routine enforcement.”
“These are people that live, work and interact in my and our community,” said panasonicboom, a self-identified regular. “They make our community better. ICE makes our community worse.”
In their closing remarks, Hiro’s owners appealed for understanding and unity, calling the experience “shocking and traumatizing.”
“We’re still speechless at what is happening all over our country lately,” the statement reads. “We can only ask for your patience as we deal with our own fears of what has become a reality that has hit too close to home.”
What happened at Hiro Ramen is not an isolated incident. It’s a microcosm of a much larger national conversation about immigration, federal power, misinformation, and the vulnerability of small businesses caught in the crosshairs.
This latest raid is sure to have a major impact on a local restaurant, its employees, and the wider community.
