Published on: February 11, 2026, 07:33h.
Updated on: February 11, 2026, 07:34h.
- Numerous arrests made during Idaho racetrack gambling probe
- Legal action claims racial profiling and illegal searches
- City officials implicated as defendants in federal lawsuit
A federal and local law enforcement operation last October at a licensed racetrack in Idaho, featuring rubber bullets and flash-bangs, has ignited a civil rights lawsuit that alleges violations of constitutional rights.
On Sunday, October 19, over 200 federal, state, and local law enforcement officials, including the FBI and ICE, raided La Catedral Arena in Wilder, about an hour from Boise.
The event, as characterized in the lawsuit, was a family-friendly gathering for the local Latino community, featuring vendors and children’s activities alongside racing events.
The FBI aimed to apprehend a few individuals involved in illegal parimutuel betting, including the track’s owner, Ivan Tellez, who possessed a racing license but lacked permission for gambling operations. Ultimately, five individuals, including Tellez, were arrested on gambling-related charges.
However, close to 400 attendees, who had no connection to the gambling investigation, were caught up in the sweep.
Children in Zip-Ties
The federal lawsuit, brought by three families comprising US citizens and lawful permanent residents, alleges the use of unconstitutional methods. These include detaining individuals based solely on their Latino appearance, conducting searches without reasonable suspicion, and keeping adults and children in zip ties for extended periods while limiting access to restrooms, food, and water.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Idaho (ACLU) remarked in the lawsuit, “Clad in military gear and masks, they brandished firearms and shouted commands at terrified families.”
Paul Carlos Southwick, legal director at ACLU Idaho, described the incident as “a coordinated effort by the government to misuse an arrest warrant as pretext for widespread racial profiling.”
“The primary goal was to deport hundreds of innocent individuals, regardless of the human impact, instilling fear in the Latine community,” he added.
The city of Nampa and its police chief are also named as defendants. Nampa Mayor Rick Hogaboam told AP that the city would engage with the legal process “with integrity and professionalism.”
While collaborative operations among federal agencies are common in complex investigations, ICE’s role in an illegal gambling raid is atypical.
‘Sound Judgment’
A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security stated in November: “The Trump administration is dedicated to reinstating the rule of law and sound judgment within our immigration framework, and will persist in advocating for the arrest, detention, and expulsion of individuals lacking lawful status in this nation.”
The lawsuit aims to have the case recognized as a class action, thereby encompassing the hundreds detained during the operation.
It requests the court to affirm that law enforcement acted in violation of constitutional protections against unreasonable searches and racial discrimination, while also seeking injunctive relief to prevent future similar operations and monetary damages to be decided at trial.