{"id":2466828,"date":"2025-07-25T17:07:01","date_gmt":"2025-07-25T21:07:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/dc-restaurant-owner-slams-initiative-82-and-exhausting-ice-raids\/"},"modified":"2025-07-25T17:08:50","modified_gmt":"2025-07-25T21:08:50","slug":"dc-restaurant-owner-slams-initiative-82-and-exhausting-ice-raids","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/dc-restaurant-owner-slams-initiative-82-and-exhausting-ice-raids\/","title":{"rendered":"DC restaurant owner slams Initiative 82 and \u2018exhausting\u2019 ICE raids"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">20<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fdc-restaurant-owner-slams-initiative-82-and-exhausting-ice-raids%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2466828&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Tony Tomelden, owner of Brookland&#8217;s Finest Bar &#038; Kitchen in Washington, D.C., criticized Initiative 82, a new law that phased out the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/heres-how-the-gops-stimulus-package-compares-to-bidens\/\" title=\"Here\u2019s How the GOP\u2019s Stimulus Package Compares to Biden\u2019s\">tipped minimum wage<\/a>, for contributing to financial difficulties that led to the closure of his popular resturant after 11 years. Tomelden also expressed frustration over exhausting Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids targeting restaurants in the district, although his establishment was not directly affected by arrests. The combination of wage law changes and <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >increased operating costs severely impacted<\/a> his buisness, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/thieves-appear-to-be-forcing-major-changes-at-a-growing-number-of-walmart-locations\/\" title=\"Burglars Trigger Shifts at More Walmart Stores\">reflecting broader challenges faced<\/a> by many local restaurants, with reports suggesting up to 40% could close by 2025. Despite the closure, Tomelden remains involved in the D.C. hospitality scene as a partner in two other establishments. Simultaneously occurring, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser has urged the City Council to repeal Initiative 82, citing concerns from restaurant owners and workers about the law&#8217;s negative effects, but the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/michigans-midterms-could-determine-direction-of-national-politics\/\" title=\"Michigan&#039;s Midterms Could Determine Direction Of National Politics\">tipped wage law<\/a> remains in place after a failed repeal attempt.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">DC restaurant owner slams Initiative 82 and &lsquo;exhausting&rsquo; ICE raids<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2180506\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>Restaurant owner Tony Tomelden, also known as &ldquo;Tony T,&rdquo; shared his struggles sustaining operations under the new tipped wage law, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/economy\/3466972\/muriel-bowser-urges-repeal-tipped-wage-law-dc-restaurant-closures\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Initiative 82<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Tomelden&rsquo;s restaurant, Brookland&rsquo;s Finest Bar &amp; Kitchen, was a &ldquo;social gathering place&rdquo; in Brookland, D.C., but it closed its doors in April, just before Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids began, according to Tomelden. The restaurant operated for 11 years.<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/house\/3482657\/thomas-massie-questions-gop-leaders-recess-appointments\/\">Rabble-rouser Thomas Massie questions why GOP leaders won&#8217;t allow recess appointments<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/state\/3482248\/ralph-norman-2026-south-carolina-governor-race\/\">Ralph Norman to enter 2026 South Carolina gubernatorial race&nbsp;<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/immigration\/3482545\/dogs-cats-surrendered-florida-animal-shelters-illegal-immigrants-deported\/\">Dogs and cats surrendered to Florida animal shelters after owners nabbed by ICE<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>&ldquo;I know a lot of people that had [ICE] visits,&rdquo; Tomelden told the <em>Washington Examiner. <\/em>&ldquo;It was a little bit exhausting, [but] we had all of our paperwork up to date just in case.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>President Donald Trump&rsquo;s immigration policies have affected the restaurant industry, with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/immigration\/3403156\/ice-agents-target-washington-dc-restaurants-i-9-audits\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">sweeping ICE raids <\/a>in the district. While Tomelden&rsquo;s restaurant wasn&rsquo;t affected by ICE arrests, the Initiative 82 measure, which voters approved in 2022 and phased out the tipped minimum wage, left its mark.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;We were ringing half with the increase in prices. The wage structure changed pretty radically. It was just a combination of all of those things that really put us down,&rdquo; he said.<\/p>\n<p>Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington data suggest <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/3352374\/dc-restaurants-could-close-by-end-of-2025-survey\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">40%<\/a> of restaurants in the district could <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/3352374\/dc-restaurants-could-close-by-end-of-2025-survey\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">close before <\/a>the end of 2025.<\/p>\n<p>Although Tomelden had to close his restaurant, that didn&rsquo;t stop him from becoming the owner and partner of two other D.C. establishments: <a href=\"http:\/\/thepugdc.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">The Pug <\/a>and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/uniontrustdc\/?hl=en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Union Trust<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/defense\/3479664\/pentagon-dismisses-report-anonymous-letter-criticize-pete-hegseth-leadership\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">PENTAGON DISMISSES REPORT OF ANONYMOUS LETTER CRITICIZING PETE HEGSETH<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>D.C. Mayor <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/entertainment\/3464683\/trump-commanders-deal-stadium-federal-government-control\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Muriel Bowser<\/a> urged the City Council to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/economy\/3466972\/muriel-bowser-urges-repeal-tipped-wage-law-dc-restaurant-closures\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">repeal Initiative 82<\/a>, voicing the concerns of local restaurant owners and servers who warned that the law would hurt businesses and workers&rsquo; pay.<\/p>\n<p>The tipped minimum wage law survived the repeal vote, against Bowser&rsquo;s push to support restaurant owners.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_2180506\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"2180506\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>DC restaurant owner criticizes Initiative 82 and tough ICE raids<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3137,"featured_media":2466829,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Screenshot-2025-07-25-at-4.39.59-PM-scaled-1024x522.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[50501,49299,56540,41265],"class_list":["post-2466828","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-dc-2","tag-ice-raids","tag-initiative-82","tag-restaurant-owner"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Screenshot-2025-07-25-at-4.39.59-PM-scaled-1024x522.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2466828","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3137"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2466828"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2466828\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2466832,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2466828\/revisions\/2466832"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2466829"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2466828"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2466828"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2466828"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}