The community came together to support Señor Machetes in downtown Madison after its co-owner, Noel Quintana, was detained by ICE.
Quintana was detained by immigration officials at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport on his way back from Mexico on Jan. 23, due to a previous drug-related conviction. In 2006, Quintana pleaded no contest in Dane County to a felony charge for possession of cocaine with the intent to distribute. He is a green card holder and has had no convictions since 2006. Quintana applied to have the 2006 charge pardoned on Feb. 9, WPR reported. He is currently being held in Indiana.
The detainment by ICE has caused dire circumstances for his family. The restaurant is co-owned by his wife, Ofelia Garcia-Anchondo. As they scramble to support Quintana and keep the restaurant going, community members flocked to Senor Machete for a fundraiser to support them on Feb. 13.
Tony Castañeda, candidate for Wisconsin State Assembly District 76, knows the family personally. The two go back some years, as Castañeda and Quintana are both part of the Mexican Golf League.
“This is ridiculous what’s going on, and this is indicative of what ICE is doing, where they’re going after well-established people,” Castañeda said. “It’s just a shame that this is the people that they’re going after … hard-working people raising families in the community. It’s got to stop.”
Barbara Wright, a former restaurant owner, came out to see how she could help. She wanted to see if she could volunteer at Senor Machetes.
Wright holds a lot of anxiety for people like Quintana and the unseen fallout of people impacted by ICE. She worries about how families are affected, children afraid to leave the house to go to school, and how businesses — like Senor Machetes — scramble when members are detained.
She noted her son, who lives in St. Paul, and who hasn’t historically been too political, took a sharp stance against ICE in the wake of the operation in Minnesota.
“He started sending out messages on the family chat. He says, ‘Please call your Congressperson. Please help us,’” Wright said.
Her son describes Minnesota right now as a dystopia. But, she feels Wisconsin is filled with fighters who show up for each other.
“If ICE shows up here, I will be on the first lines of people trying to hold them back, because what they’re doing, there’s no justification,” Wright said. “In Madison and in Wisconsin, we’re not afraid of each other.”
Another community member, who wished to stay anonymous due to citizenship status, doesn’t know the family, but feels the same struggle and worry as them.
“Although I’m not friends with the family, I think there will be so much value for them to see that the community, and a community member like myself, is showing up for them,” they said. “I think that’s what we need right now… to show up with love, empathy and all of that. We need to be intentional about the way we’re showing up for each other in this very difficult time.”
The family is currently not talking about Quintana’s case. They did not provide any comment due to ongoing litigation.
