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Management at a Kid Rock-themed restaurant and bar in Nashville reportedly rushed non-citizen employees off the premises during the weekend over fears of an impending ICE raid.
During the busy Saturday service, non-citizen employees at three restaurants owned by Nashville businessman Steve Smith were told to leave, including Kid Rock’s Big Ass Honky Tonk Rock N’ Roll Steakhouse, which opened in 2018, Nashville Scene reports.
“We were already understaffed because of the ICE raids throughout the weekend,” an employee at one restaurant told the outlet. "Then, around 9:30 p.m. on Saturday, our manager came back and told anyone without legal status to go home.”
After the alleged request, the employee said there was “no one in the kitchen to cook the food.”
The Independent has contacted the Kid Rock restaurant for comment, as well as the others named in the article, including Honky Tonk Central. A manager at the third restaurant mentioned in the piece, The Diner, declined to comment.
The reported fears of a raid came as ICE conducted a weeklong operation in the area, which netted nearly 200 arrests, according to the agency.
The alleged known presence of undocumented workers at Kid Rock’s restaurant would be at odds with the entertainer’s staunch support for Donald Trump and his attempts to crack down on illegal immigration.
Kid Rock is a vocal ally of the president and recently appeared at the White House for the signing of an executive order targeting ticket scalpers.
Echoing Trump’s rhetoric, Kid Rock called immigrants “murderers” and “rapists” in a 2024 Rolling Stone interview.
It is unclear if Kid Rock owns part of the steakhouse, or merely licenses his name to the business, though he has spoken about being affiliated with the business since before it opened. The Tennessean has described the musician as a partner in the venture.
The steakhouse was previously in the headlines in 2020 after being cited for failing to comply with Covid guidelines.
Nashville Scene describes Smith as a Trump supporter and donor, and the businessman previously told the outlet he has dined and golfed with Trump.
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