What started as an average night for Pancho's Taqueria and Mexican Cafe in Circle Pines, Minnesota, turned into a traumatic memory.

Frank Chase, who owns the restaurant, says he can't stop thinking about Tuesday, when federal agents arrested one of the restaurant's employees, who Chase says had a valid work visa to live legally in the U.S. 

The agents waited in the parking lot before following a Latino staff member named Kevin into a storage container as he grabbed supplies for the kitchen. 

"We can't hear anything that happened in there but I am sure that he was terrified," said Chase.

What he could hear was the struggle between Kevin and the agents, as the father of two cried out.

"He was saying 'help, help, help me," said Chase.

Within minutes, Kevin was arrested and taken to the Whipple building in Minneapolis. By the next morning, he was on a flight to El Paso, Texas. 

"It feels like there's just no due process," said Chase. "Why do we have to send him there?"

Chase's family hired a lawyer and set up a GoFundMe to cover upcoming legal fees, instantly hitting their $25,000 goal. Donations were often coming from customers eager to help the cause. 

"We've been here what, at least once or twice a week ever since they've opened," said customer Sean Berry. "We've got some little money set aside for something I was holding, I said, I can go without a couple things for a minute to help out my peoples."

Management at the restaurant is confident they'll get Kevin home. But they know there are others like him detained with proper paperwork who don't have the same support system, whether it be money, lawyers or just people willing to help.

"It's just hard to go to sleep at night when you think we weren't able to keep him safe," said Chase. 

Donations for the GoFundMe were paused after hitting their goal. Chase says he now plans to sponsor Kevin to help ensure his release.