ICE agents ate lunch at Mexican restaurant and then detained employees after

A group of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents who ate at a Mexican restaurant in Minnesota waited for the employees to close up so they could arrest them.

The Minnesota Star Tribune and WCCO reported that four ICE officers were having lunch at El Tapatio in Willmar, Minnesota at around 3pm local time on 14 January.

Reports suggest that eyewitnesses were fearful when the agents sat together in a booth at the family-owned Mexican restaurant.

When staff closed the eatery by 8:30pm, four agents reportedly followed the employees and detained them near Willmar Middle School.

One bystander allegedly asked the agents: "Would your mama be proud of you right now?" when they carried out the arrest, according to the Minnesota Star Tribune.

The Assistant Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security said they were targeting 'an illegal alien from Mexico'.

Four Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents were seen eating at El Tapatio in Minnesota on 14 January (Google Maps)

"Officers observed that the target's vehicle was outside of a local business and positively identified him as the target while inside the business," Tricia McLaughli told WCCO.

"Following the positive identification of the target, officers then conducted a vehicle stop later in the day and apprehended the target and two additional illegal aliens who were in the car, including one who had a final order of removal from an immigration judge."

The ICE agents made the arrests after the restaurant had closed (Victor J. Blue/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

A 20-year-old, whose parents own the restaurant and are reportedly detained, says the business will reopen under his leadership.

Meanwhile, Abdullahi Mohamed of Willmar said to the outlet that ICE have left the community of just over 21,000 people on edge.

"You have families that are scared for their life. People refusing to come out of their house," Mohamed said.

"I've seen with my two eyes ICE detaining people."

Resident Brentt Fees added: "They detained someone just across the street where I was working.

The City of Minneapolis wants ICE to leave the city (Victor J. Blue/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

"I just wanted to make sure everything is okay. And apparently it's not because they're closed now."

Fees claimed his employer has lost 75 percent of its business since the ICE crackdown began in Minnesota's Twin Cities.

The anger comes after the death of Renee Good by ICE agent Jonathan Ross in Minneapolis, some 95 miles away from El Tapatio. Keith Porter was also shot in Minneapolis by an off duty ICE agent on New Year's Eve. A week after Renee Good was shot, a Venezuelan man was also shot by an ICE agent in North Minneapolis after agents were conducting a traffic stop. The man's identity still remains unknown.

"The City of Minneapolis again demands that ICE leave the city and state immediately. We stand by our immigrant and refugee communities — know that you have our full support," the City of Minneapolis said after the second shooting.

LADbible Group has contacted the Department of Homeland Security for additional comment.