Hannah SeiboldUpdated Wed, May 13, 2026 at 7:43 PM UTCPORTLAND, Ore. (PORTLAND TRIBUNE) — A longtime cook at Portland restaurant Güero has been detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, prompting an outpouring of support from coworkers, customers and the local restaurant community.José “Poni” Góngora Poot was detained Friday morning while driving to work, according to a GoFundMe campaign created on behalf of his family and an Instagram post shared by the restaurant.CloseThanks for signing up!Watch for us in your inbox.Subscribe Now KOIN Breaking News Alerts SIGN UP NOWThe fundraiser states ICE agents stopped Góngora Poot near his home, removed him from his car and detained him while he was heading to work. His family later found the vehicle abandoned “blocks from home,” according to the GoFundMe.In an Instagram post, Güero described Góngora Poot as a familiar presence in the restaurant for the past decade, known for “singing in the kitchen loudly to all his favorite songs and saying goodbye to customers as they leave through the back door.”Read more at PortlandTribune.comThe Portland Tribune and its parent company Pamplin Media Group are KOIN 6 News media partnersCopyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com.