Family Bakery Refutes Viral Accusations of Immigration Enforcement Connections

North Jersey Bakery Refutes Rumors of Collaboration with ICE Amid Local Immigration Raids

A family-owned bakery in North Jersey has found itself fighting to preserve its reputation after becoming the target of damaging online rumors suggesting it collaborated with federal immigration officials during recent raids in the area.

Medina Bakery & Restaurant, a longstanding establishment on Anderson Avenue in Fairview, has experienced a noticeable decline in business amid accusations that the owners’ children were working with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials to identify undocumented immigrants.

“We would never, ever do that,” said Virginia Medina, 27, whose parents Jorge Medina, 67, and Evelyn Castallanos, 60, founded the bakery after immigrating from Guatemala nearly three decades ago. The allegations are particularly hurtful to a family with deep immigrant roots.

The Medina family’s story embodies the classic immigrant journey. After arriving from Guatemala, Evelyn began working as a house cleaner while Jorge found employment in the ceramic and tile business. Both eventually became U.S. citizens and raised their eight children in nearby Cliffside Park, establishing deep ties to the community they now serve.

The bakery, which has become a neighborhood institution, began noticing a drop in customer traffic coinciding with increased ICE activity in Fairview and surrounding communities. However, it wasn’t until about three weeks ago that the family discovered why their business was suffering.

“People started sending us screenshots of comments shared on social media, saying that my siblings and I were conspiring with immigration officials,” Virginia Medina explained. “It’s concerning because before this whole situation with ICE and all the raids in our area, no one has ever heard such a rumor about us or our family or our business.”

On February 4, the bakery issued a public statement categorically denying any involvement with federal immigration authorities. “As a family-owned business that has worked hard in this country for a better future for our children, we are deeply concerned by the rumors circulating on social media,” the statement read.

The family emphasized that “neither the owners nor their children are involved in such activities, nor are we cooperating in identifying or reporting individuals,” and cautioned that “the spread of false and unfounded information can bring negative consequences for all parties involved.”

For the Medina family, the accusations are particularly baffling given their own immigrant background and public support for immigrant rights. Virginia noted that the bakery had previously announced on Facebook that they would close their doors to stand in solidarity with immigrants “without thinking twice.”

“We could be taken any moment too,” Medina pointed out. “Just like everybody else.”

The situation highlights the heightened tensions and fear within immigrant communities following increased enforcement actions under shifting immigration policies. In areas with large immigrant populations like northern New Jersey, rumors can spread rapidly through social media and messaging apps, often causing significant damage to reputations and livelihoods before facts can be verified.

Local immigrant advocacy groups have noted that such rumors—whether about specific businesses or ICE operations—have become increasingly common as communities grapple with uncertainty and fear. The economic impact on businesses serving immigrant communities can be substantial, with many experiencing dramatic drops in patronage during periods of increased enforcement activity.

For establishments like Medina Bakery, which has built its business largely through community trust and relationships, restoring their reputation may take time. The family hopes their public statement and continued presence in the community will eventually overcome the damaging rumors that have affected both their business and their standing in the neighborhood they’ve called home for nearly three decades.