Washington, D.C
At least 9 DC restaurants visited by ICE
Anxiety and anger ran through the D.C. restaurant community as NBC News reports Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents visited at least nine restaurants in the District Tuesday.
In some cases, agents requested documents to verify employees’ eligibility to work in the US.
“It’s really crazy, you know it kind of feels like we’re not in the U.S.,” said Bo Blair, the owner of Millie’s, a popular restaurant in Northwest’s Spring Valley neighborhood. “[…] That’s just was shocking to everybody today.”
One day after a warning from local advocates, surveillance video showed the moments federal agents popped up at Millie’s in an apparent widespread immigration enforcement operation.
Blair walked News4 through how it all went down. Security cameras recorded as the agents came in Tuesday morning.
“It seemed pretty unnecessary, and that scared people,” Blair said. “Is this just a scare tactic? Like I don’t really see the purpose in it.”
Blair said they identified themselves as ICE and Homeland Security.
In the video, the manager can be seen speaking with them as they asked to speak with employees and review I-9 forms to verify eligibility to work. He refused, saying they keep those records off site, and they left a form saying they have until the 12th to turn them over.
“I think it’s pretty absurd,” Blair said. “Immigrants are the backbone of not only the restaurant industry, but a lot of other industries in this country. Without immigrants there are no restaurants.”
In addition to Millie’s, Chef Geoff’s in Northwest D.C., two on the Wharf, and several other upscale restaurants in Northwest. Some received paperwork saying it was an advanced notice of inspection for employee I-9 forms, while others reported verbal warnings that agents would be back in three days.
On Tuesday D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser called those reports disturbing.
“It appears that ICE is at restaurants or even in neighborhoods, and it doesn’t look like they’re targeting criminals, and so it is disrupting,” Bowser said. “I want to be clear this is not an MPD action, no MPD activity involved.”
Back at Millie’s, Blair said they’ve been preparing for this for months by informing workers about their rights, but now some of his employees are scared to come to work, putting more pressure on small business owners that are already having a tough time.
“It’s like one thing after another to be honest. We have COVID which was like the worst thing ever,” Blair said. “[…] Now we’re under threat from ICE and Homeland Security. I mean it’s just like that inflation, it just keeps going and going, and the restaurant industry is not easy.”
Blair said two employees were so shaken up they had to leave.
According to those forms, agents will be back Monday to check those records.
Washington, D.C
Nurses at Washington D.C.’s largest hospital call on leadership to reverse planned cuts to maternal health
RNs at MedStar Washington Hospital Center say closure of postpartum unit will disproportionately harm marginalized and underserved communities
Union nurses at MedStar Washington Hospital Center (MWHC) in Washington, D.C. are demanding that management stop the planned closure of an entire postpartum unit, announced National Nurses Organizing Committee/National Nurses United (NNOC/NNU). The hospital notified the union on May 26, 2026 of its intention to eliminate 11 maternal health beds and displace eight nurses by July 26, 2026, leaving MWHC with one postpartum unit.
In a follow-up town hall with staff nurses, Chief Nursing Officer Ariam Yitbarek confirmed the closure. Other leaders have additionally informed staff that the hospital will strictly limit scheduled C-sections and inductions for patients from numerous D.C. maternal health organizations. The list of organizations includes many that primarily serve low-income patients, immigrants, and patients of color, all communities with significantly higher risks of maternal mortality. Additionally, staff were informed that Kaiser Permanente, which notably insures a large number of DC city employees and even many of MWHC’s own workers, will see a strict limit on scheduling inductions and C-sections for their patients as well.
“Closing postpartum unit 5F will gravely impact those most affected by health disparities,” said Stephanie Sims-Coates, RN in the neonatal intensive care unit. “Our low-income families and families of color will be most affected by this closure. Families trust the medical staff at MWHC and plan to come to us for their care. In a city where Black women make up 90 percent of pregnancy-related deaths despite being only half the population, the hospital’s decision to close this unit is a significant mistake.”
Community leaders and healthcare workers are joining the call for MedStar to put patients before profits and keep the unit open. This past weekend, nurses met with D.C. mayoral candidate and Ward 4 councilwoman Janeese Lewis George about the planned closure and the impact it would have on DC’s most vulnerable residents.
“Maternal mortality is a crisis for Washington, DC, and our healthcare system needs to address the crisis immediately, rather than exacerbate the challenges that birthing parents face,” said Councilwoman Janeese Lewis George. “Now is the time to invest in health care, rather than make cuts. I want to work with the hospital to identify solutions that work for patients and the provider.”
“In my time at Washington Hospital Center, I’ve seen the hospital tout its Safe Moms, Safe Babies program and host a community baby shower specifically designed to call attention to the maternal mortality crisis,” said Marcqueata “Tiya” Butler, RN in the Mother/Baby unit. “Their current plan to shut down 11 postpartum beds betrays the hospital’s stated commitments. They are aware of persistent inequities in access to care. We are calling on the hospital to consider the impacts on the community, safeguard the mothers and infants of DC and commit to addressing the maternal mortality rate.”
In 2024, MedStar Health, a registered non-profit, reported $9 billion in operating revenue.
NNOC/NNU represents more than 2,200 registered nurses at Washington Hospital Center.
National Nurses United is the largest and fastest-growing union and professional association of registered nurses in the United States with more than 225,000 members nationwide. NNU affiliates include California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee, DC Nurses Association, Michigan Nurses Association, Minnesota Nurses Association, and New York State Nurses Association.
WASHINGTON (7News) — Tuesday was the last day the D.C. Council could vote to enact an expanded curfew in time for summer.
7News learned it never even made it on the agenda for a discussion and went to council members to find out why.
For the next two months, it’ll be up to the mayor to declare a curfew until the permanent version kicks in. There is already a city curfew. The curfew that has been up for debate for more than a year is the expanded version of the curfew. The expanded version allows the Metropolitan Police Department to create zones where teens 17 and under cannot gather in groups of nine or more.
RELATED | DC curfews pushed large groups into local neighborhoods, some residents say
Mayor Muriel Bowser currently has her own curfew order in place, which ends Saturday. The mayor can continue issuing an order. Councilmembers against the expanded curfew said that’s why it doesn’t need to come from the council.
In a video posted two weeks ago, D.C Council public safety chair Brooke Pinto said she wanted her councilmembers to vote to fill the gap today. 7News asked her why she never presented it to the council.
“Unfortunately, in working with my colleagues over the last several weeks, we did not have the votes,” said Pinto. “We have to have enough votes to pass the law and make sure that we didn’t have a gap.”
Bowser, in a letter to council Tuesday, said councilmembers Trayon White, Robert White, Zachary Parker, Brianne Nadeau and Janese Lewis-George are “blocking the will of the public and majority of council.”
7News spoke to three of the members she called out about the mayor’s pushback.
“I reject the rhetoric and the political games that are being played, and I’m wanting for us to get to the bottom of how do we stop the teen takeovers and the delinquent behavior we’ve been seeing,” Parker said.
“I stand by my belief that a curfew policy is a failed policy, kind of smoke and mirrors, and what we really needed is investments in our young people, so I’m pretty firm on that,” Nadeau said.
“We have to choose our tools and the time we use those tools. I’ve supported the curfew in the past, but I think with the current surge of more federal troops that have been impending, we’re putting our youth in even more danger by extending that work. I know the executive has put in an emergency executive order that will fill the gap. I hope that comes alongside extended hours, I’ve funded at DPR, extended weekends, and opening more safe spaces for youth here in the city. And that’s the solution that we do agree on,” Lewis-George said.
The mayor has not confirmed if she’ll issue another order, but it is on the table.
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