Latest news with #Nupá
Yahoo
22-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Rochester restaurant hopes to reopen soon after worker was detained by ICE
Nupá restaurant in Rochester closed one of its two locations earlier this month after a staff member was allegedly detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in the restaurant's parking lot on Feb. 12. Owner Ted Paizis tells Bring Me The News that Nupá's north Rochester location remains closed, but he's planning to reopen soon as the company hires new staff. The restaurant's other location, 412 Crossroads Dr., has remained open after initially closing for a day. "The community has been great," Paizis says. "We are a very popular restaurant, and it's hard to open half-assed. We need to make sure that everyone is getting the service they deserve." However, there has also been vitriol directed toward the restaurant. Paizis says "very nasty people showing their true colors" have sent messages like "Burn Nupa" and "Just hire good white Christian men and you won't have this problem." Initially, the restaurant said two of its employees had been detained, but it now reports that one of its employees was taken into custody along with another individual who was dropping them off at work. The restaurant has been "unable to get ahold of another [employee]," Paizis tells Bring Me The News. However, they have not been able to find them in the ICE database. "We have received word that an immigration hearing is set to take place next week for one [employee]," the restaurant wrote in an update shared on Thursday. "We plan to attend if they'll allow it. We have heard that some customers have also expressed interest in being present to show their support. Any presence in support of this gentleman would be such a huge statement to his character and [the] impact he has made on society." Representatives for ICE did not respond to a request for comment. The Rochester Police Department previously confirmed with Bring Me The News that it was aware of ICE operations in the community, but the department was not involved.
Yahoo
13-02-2025
- Yahoo
Rochester restaurant closes temporarily after ICE detains two of its workers
An alleged U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raid on Feb. 12 has left a Rochester restaurant temporarily shuttered. Nupá, a Greek restaurant with two locations in Rochester, wrote on social media that two brothers who worked in the restaurant and "accounted for many of our man hours" were detained during a Wednesday morning raid in the restaurant's parking lot. The update from Nupá speculates that the brothers "may have been working under false documentation," but alleges that ICE did not ask for any documentation before making the arrest. Representatives for ICE did not respond to a request for comment. Rochester Police Department spokesperson Amanda Grayson tells Bring Me The News that the RPD is aware of ICE raids taking place in the city but that the department is not involved in the operations. The restaurant has temporarily closed its location on Civic Center Drive as it "navigate[s] staffing issues." Responses to the post were largely supportive, with patrons asking how they could help the restaurant and detained community members. However, the restaurant posted a follow-up comment asking commenters to refrain from negative replies. "Whether you approve or not of what and how things went down today, we are mourning the loss of Nupa family and the devastating impact it has on our small business," Nupá wrote. "BE KIND! To us, our employees and each other. Hate is not bred here on our page." Nupá did not respond to a request for further comment.
