A 2025 Idaho raid at a horse race led to a 14-year-old U.S. citizen being zip-tied, sparking national outrage over aggressive immigration enforcement involving children.

A federal immigration raid at an Idaho horse racing event in October 2025 sparked national outrage after a 14-year-old U.S. citizen, SueHey Romero, alleged she was zip-tied and detained alongside her siblings during a militarized operation involving over 200 officers, armored vehicles, and flashbang grenades. Graphic evidence showed children with bruised wrists, and families reported physical restraints, rubber bullets, shattered car windows, and emotional trauma. While officials initially denied using zip ties on minors, later acknowledgments and a federal civil rights lawsuit filed by the ACLU confirmed some minors were restrained. The raid, targeting an alleged illegal gambling operation, affected hundreds of people, many U.S. citizens or lawful residents, and intensified debate over aggressive immigration enforcement tactics, particularly in the presence of children.