Neighbors and other Madison community members are rallying around a restaurant owner after he was detained by immigration authorities. Noel Quintana, who owns Señor Machetes in downtown Madison, was detained by immigration officials at O’Hare International Airport in Chicago while on his way back from visiting Mexico, according to social media posts from state Rep. Francesca Hong, D-Madison, and others. In 2006, when Quintana was 31, he pleaded no contest in Dane County to a felony charge of possessing between 14 and 40 grams of cocaine with intent to distribute. Understanding Wisconsin, Together. WPR’s “Wisconsin Today” newsletter keeps you connected to the state you love without feeling overwhelmed. No paywall. No agenda. No corporate filter. In statement Thursday afternoon, a U.S. Department of Homeland Security spokesperson said U.S. Customs and Border Protection arrested Quintana at O’Hare on Jan. 23 because of that cocaine conviction. “Possessing a green card is a privilege, not a right,” the statement said. “Under our nation’s laws, our government has the authority to revoke a green card if our laws are broken and abused. In addition to immigration removal proceedings, lawful permanent residents presenting at a U.S. port of entry with previous criminal convictions may be subject to mandatory detention.” The statement said Quintana will remain in Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention pending deportation proceedings. Online records from the Clay County Sheriff’s Office in Indiana show that Quintana was booked into that county jail on Jan. 28 on an immigration hold. Those records list ICE as the arresting agency. As of Thursday, records show Quintana is still in jail custody. Since the 2006 incident, Quitana has not faced any other criminal charges in Wisconsin, according to a search of the state’s online court database. Earlier this month, Quintana applied for the cocaine charge to be pardoned, according to online court records dated Feb 9. Messages to Señor Machetes from Wisconsin Public Radio were not immediately returned. Madison Alder Mike Verveer is a friend and neighbor to Quintana. Verveer said Quintana and his wife, Ofelia Garcia-Anchondo, were stopped at the airport after visiting family in Mexico. “My understanding is that he was under the belief that he held a valid green card,” Verveer said of Quintana. Quintana raised three daughters and started multiple businesses, Verveer said. “Noel and Ofelia are really the epitome of the American dream,” Verveer said. “Noel is one of the hardest-working people I know. I don’t know when he has time to sleep.” Twenty years ago, a judge did not sentence Quintana to time behind bars on the cocaine charge, Verveer noted. Instead, Quintana got probation for that charge. Verveer said it’s not right that Quintana has now spent weeks in an immigration jail. “It’s just heartbreaking to think that he’s a victim of the Trump administration’s inhumane policies here,” Verveer said. A fundraiser for Quintana is planned for Friday evening at Señor Machetes. Several GoFundMes have also been created with the stated goal of supporting Quintana and his family. “They are loving parents, stellar and supportive friends, neighbors, long time residents and restaurant owners in our beloved community food scene, huge supporters of numerous neighborhood organizations and small businesses around town,” one GoFundMe states. Another GoFundMe describes how Quintana and Garcia-Anchondo host an annual neighborhood holiday party, “bringing people together and creating lasting memories.” Hong, a Democratic candidate for governor, is among those expressing support for Quintana. Hong formerly worked as co-owner and executive chef at Morris Ramen. When that restaurant shut down, Hong said Quintana and his wife came to her aid. “Noel and Ofelia were there for us,” Hong wrote in a Facebook post published Wednesday evening. “I didn’t have to put on the brave face.” In her post, Hong called for the abolition of DHS, which oversees ICE. “What happened to Noel is a vile and terrifying act of racism,” Hong wrote. “He and his family and countless others deserve so much better.” Quintana came to the U.S. from Mexico as a 16-year-old student, according to a 2022 Cap Times article. Quintana and Garcia-Achondo opened Señor Machetes at East Main Street in 2019. Wisconsin Public Radio, © Copyright 2026, Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System and Wisconsin Educational Communications Board.