A Texas bakery is at the center of a federal immigration case after authorities arrested its owners for allegedly employing and housing illegal immigrants in an apartment connected to their business. The ICE operation in Los Fresnos led to the detainment of eight workers and felony charges against bakery owners Leonardo Baez and Nora Alicia Avila-Guel.
According to federal investigators, the bakery owners knowingly employed individuals who lacked work authorization and provided them with a place to live. Two workers reportedly confirmed to authorities that Baez and Avila-Guel were aware of their immigration status.
BREAKING: ICE conducted a worksite raid at a bakery in Texas. They arrested 8 illegal aliens and charged the owners with harboring and aiding illegal aliens.
The owners were charged with 8 USC 1324. This is the same statute Tom Homan has referenced multiple times.
Deport them… pic.twitter.com/PRjhcaxqia
— Gunther Eagleman™ (@GuntherEagleman) February 21, 2025
The housing arrangement inside the business included six beds along a single wall, two bathrooms, and covered windows. Federal prosecutors argued that this setup met the legal definition of harboring, a charge the judge allowed to proceed.
Abby's Bakery Los Fresnos, Texas admitting EVERY SINGLE EMPLOYEE was illegal and taken by ICE
“They took all the workers from here”
The business has already been updated on Google to say “Temporarily closed” pic.twitter.com/7PDgU9jlg3
— Wall Street Apes (@WallStreetApes) February 15, 2025
During questioning, the couple allegedly told investigators they had expected to face legal trouble over their hiring practices. Attorneys for the defendants claimed that offering a place to live does not constitute criminal concealment, but the judge disagreed and set bond at $100,000 each.
ICE Arrests Texas Bakery Owners for Harboring Migrants https://t.co/zgBvz5W486
— FollowTheMoney (@F_T_M_I_N_L) February 22, 2025
ICE confirmed that the detained workers remain in custody pending deportation proceedings. Officials also stated that this case reflects the administration’s commitment to holding employers accountable for violating federal hiring laws.
The bakery, located in the Rio Grande Valley, is one of many businesses under scrutiny as immigration enforcement efforts increase across South Texas.
