Tiny pro-Trump Idaho town 'nearly destroyed' by ICE raid: 'What in the world is going on?'

Residents of the tiny Idaho town of Wilder are waiting for the next shoe to drop after federal agents descended on the community in mid-October and arrested more than 100 Hispanic locals at an unlicensed race track that had long been a part of the community, according to a report.

Local farmers in the town, which has a population of 1,725, now face uncertainty as harvest season approaches with significantly reduced labor availability. Many Hispanic workers were detained during the operation, while others are lying low for fear of additional raids.

Wilder residents, living in an area where 91 percent of voters supported Trump in 2024, believed their remote location would shield them from the aggressive immigration enforcement operations affecting larger cities, the New York Times reported. That assumption proved wildly incorrect.

The October raid on La Catedral Arena, a horse racetrack west of town, resulted in at least 75 deportations to date.

Second-generation farmer Chris Gross expressed concern about community viability. "We rely on Hispanic labor," he said. "Nobody thought something like this could happen here."

The New York Times reports that beyond economic impacts, the raid has created profound uncertainty and suspicion throughout the community. Longtime resident David Lincoln characterized the operation as having "nearly destroyed" the town.

According to Trump voter John Carter, whose company provided security at the racetrack, federal agents "pointed automatic rifles and set off flash-bang grenades" during the arrest of Ivan Tellez, the alleged track operator.

Times reporter Anna Griffin documented the operation's scale. "Other federal, state and local agencies, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement, showed up soon after, sending many in the crowd running into neighboring fields or hiding in their cars. The local sheriff rode through on horseback, and a black, military-style helicopter circled low in the sky. Eventually, everyone there was herded to the end of the track. Most adults, including parents caring for toddlers, and many teenagers had their hands bound."

Carter reported witnessing federal officers pointing guns at individuals and teenagers being zip-tied, including his 14-year-old daughter.

Local immigration attorney Neal Dougherty suggested federal officials prioritized immigration enforcement over illegal gambling prosecution. "The one thing everyone got asked was, 'Where were you born?' Not, 'Did you see gambling?' Not, 'Did you participate in gambling?' Just, 'Where were you born?'"

The community now faces ongoing anxiety. Gross noted that residents, regardless of ethnicity, "freeze up" when seeing black sport utility vehicles. School superintendent Alex Zamora expressed broader confusion. "There was just such confusion," he said. "What in the world is going on in Wilder?"

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