ICE DEPORTS WEST SIDE RESTAURANT OWNER, FAMILY — BUFFALO ENFORCEMENT SURGE HITS LOCAL BUSINESS

Immigration enforcement led to the deportation of William Murcia Henao, owner of Buffalo’s Sabores De Mi Tierra, to Colombia after federal judges and appeals courts rejected his asylum claims. His wife and two children, including one U.S.-born child, subsequently left the United States through a self-deportation process amid surveillance and fear of detention. Local advocates and officials, including attorney Katherine Gomez and Assemblymember Jonathan Rivera, tried to intervene; Gomez later purchased and reopened the restaurant. The case illustrates intensified enforcement actions under the Trump administration and the consequences for families, local businesses and access to legal protections.