{"id":198205,"date":"2021-03-10T02:59:09","date_gmt":"2021-03-09T23:59:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/texas-mexican-restaurant-threatened-by-ice-calls-over-mask-rule\/"},"modified":"2021-03-10T02:59:09","modified_gmt":"2021-03-09T23:59:09","slug":"texas-mexican-restaurant-threatened-by-ice-calls-over-mask-rule","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/texas-mexican-restaurant-threatened-by-ice-calls-over-mask-rule\/","title":{"rendered":"#Texas Mexican restaurant threatened by ICE calls over mask rule"},"content":{"rendered":"

“#Texas Mexican restaurant threatened by ICE calls over mask rule<\/strong>”
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The owners of a popular Mexican restaurant in Texas were left reeling after people reportedly threatened to call Immigration and Customs Enforcement on them over their mask mandate.<\/p>\n

The Richards family, owners of Picos in Houston, said they\u2019ve received a slew of hateful messages since deciding that they would continue to require face-coverings for customers after the state\u2019s mask mandate was lifted.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was horrific,\u201d co-owner Monica Richards told the Houston Chronicle<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The threats started coming in the days after Gov. Greg Abbott announced the state\u2019s reopening and scrapp<\/a>ed his statewide mask mandate, Richards said.<\/p>\n

The restaurant, a Houston staple for 40 years, had told its customers that it would keep its own COVID-19 restrictions in place.<\/p>\n

Richards said Picos received calls, private messages on social media<\/a> and emails threatening to call ICE on the eatery\u2019s staff and report that their green cards and paperwork needed to be checked.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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\u201cI never imagined that they would go that far,\u201d she told the Chronicle, adding that Picos has \u201calways been by the book.\u201d<\/p>\n

The business isn\u2019t the only one that\u2019s decided to stick with coronavirus mitigation methods. <\/p>\n

A recent survey conducted by the Texas Restaurant Association found that 72 percent of its more than 700 members said they would keep the mask mandate.<\/p>\n

Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo said in a video on Twitter<\/a> last week that private businesses have a legal right to require face-coverings if they choose.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust remember that if you remain in the business after being asked to leave, you are subject to arrest for criminal trespass,\u201d he warned.<\/p>\n

Richards said she\u2019s been heartened by the messages of support Picos has received, even amid the negative comments and threats. She\u2019s confident the restaurant will stay in business.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf people don\u2019t want to comply, then they can either take their margaritas to go or come back at a different time,\u201d she said.\n <\/p><\/div>\n