Federal immigration authorities have detained a prominent Clatsop County business owner and another local man in Seaside, Oregon, sparking significant distress among relatives, neighbors, and immigrant advocates across the coastal community. The arrests have brought renewed attention to heightened federal enforcement tactics in the region and have prompted a determined campaign by family members seeking the release of a longtime restaurateur.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers apprehended 63-year-old Martin Anguiano on September 10 outside a Seaside Safeway store. The arrest occurred while the longtime resident was purchasing routine supplies for Guadalajara Taco Shop, a well-known dining establishment he and his family have owned and operated in Seaside for 23 years. Anguiano’s sudden detention has left his family and patrons reeling as they scramble to navigate the federal immigration system.
During the same enforcement action in Seaside, federal agents also took Gustavo Barrera Reyes into custody. A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security stated that Barrera Reyes entered the United States without authorization in 2014 and is now facing formal removal proceedings before an immigration court.
The Department of Homeland Security addressed both apprehensions in an email response to inquiries from local radio station KMUN. A department spokesperson stated that Anguiano had previously been convicted in 1993 for possession of a controlled substance, which resulted in a judicial removal order and his subsequent deportation before he returned to the country.
Federal officials framed the Seaside operations as part of a strict nationwide enforcement mandate. A DHS spokesperson emphasized that under the administration of President Donald Trump and Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, individuals who violate immigration laws will encounter swift consequences, underscoring that authorities remain actively focused on locating, arresting, and deporting individuals classified as criminal undocumented immigrants.
Anguiano’s family does not dispute the historical 1993 arrest, acknowledging that he was present during an incident where illicit substances were involved decades ago. However, relatives clarified that he was never involved in sourcing or distributing drugs, and they stressed that he has maintained an entirely clean legal record throughout the decades that followed while actively contributing to his community.
The family has specifically questioned the legitimacy and application of the 1994 warrant that federal agents are currently utilizing to justify Anguiano’s detention. They emphasized that he has consistently met his civic responsibilities, faithfully paid his taxes, and run his small business fully in accordance with local regulations and requirements.
Speaking with KMUN, Anguiano’s wife, Michelle, shared the severe emotional toll the sudden arrest has inflicted on their household while issuing a cautionary message to other local residents. She urged community members, particularly people of color, to remain vigilant and take precautions, expressing disbelief that an established grandfather, father, and well-regarded local figure could be abruptly detained.
Anguiano is currently being held across state lines at the Northwest ICE Processing Center located in Tacoma, Washington. The facility has recently drawn public scrutiny following reports published by The Seattle Times detailing complaints regarding substandard and unsanitary conditions, including allegations that detainees were served spoiled and rotten food.
Michelle Anguiano noted that her husband sounded in poor condition during telephone conversations from the detention center. She lamented that a 63-year-old family patriarch with five children and three grandchildren is being kept in an institutional facility under degrading circumstances after decades of peaceful life in the Seaside area.
The arrest has similarly stunned longtime business associates in the coastal town. Steve Haugen, the owner of Universal Video who has leased commercial space to Guadalajara Taco Shop since the early 2000s, described Anguiano as a dedicated, hardworking individual and noted that he was among the least likely individuals anyone in town expected to see targeted by federal law enforcement.
Anguiano’s eldest son, Christopher, explained that his father had previously made multiple attempts to regularize his legal status in the United States. Those efforts, however, were repeatedly derailed by systemic obstacles, bureaucratic hurdles, and complicated legal requirements, eventually leaving the restaurant owner discouraged about finding a viable pathway to legal residency.
Christopher Anguiano added that his family has endured persistent anxiety over the past year and a half as the federal administration implemented more aggressive immigration enforcement measures. While the family previously hoped to avoid such an outcome by keeping their fears unspoken, the sudden detention has now forced them into an urgent legal and public relations struggle.
To assist with mounting legal expenses and ongoing household bills, Anguiano’s daughter, Celine, organized an online GoFundMe campaign that quickly generated more than $14,000 in donations from community supporters. Family members have also turned to social media platforms to urge local residents to contact Oregon’s federal lawmakers, including Senator Ron Wyden and Representative Suzanne Bonamici, to advocate on Anguiano’s behalf.
The recent detentions mark the latest in a series of high-profile federal immigration actions within Clatsop County. In June, ICE agents arrested at least two individuals in the area, including Gerardo Chavez Lopez, another long-term resident and local business owner. Those earlier operations generated considerable controversy when federal agents utilized Port of Astoria property to transfer detained individuals between vehicles, prompting pushback from local activists and immigrant rights advocates.
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