Two longtime employees of a Post Falls construction crew were detained by ICE at a Westwind Drive renovation site on Aug. 15, 2026, and later deported to Honduras. Contractor Aaron Mote says an anonymous homeowner's earlier off-color remark led him to suspect the homeowner called authorities, while the homeowner denies placing the call. Mote maintains his workers were authorized to work and that his company follows all employment laws. The incident has provoked local outrage and comes amid heightened national deportation figures.
Post Falls Outcry: Contractor Says Homeowner May Have Called ICE After Two Workers Were Detained
Image Credit: KTVB / YouTube.
Residents of Post Falls, Idaho, are shaken after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents arrived at a residential renovation site on Aug. 15, 2026, detained two longtime workers and later deported them to Honduras. The crew belonged to Direct Siding Idaho; owner Aaron Mote now publicly suspects the anonymous homeowner who hired his team may have reported the workers to authorities.
What Happened
According to reporting by KTVB7, ICE agents showed up at a jobsite on Westwind Drive and removed two of Mote's employees. Mote says he was alerted by another crew member who called him in tears. He described the scene as "heartbreaking" and has spoken about the personal and professional toll on his team and business.
Contractor's Account
Mote told the station that, to his knowledge, the two men were authorized to work in the United States and that his company follows all hiring and employment laws. He emphasized that his business does not discriminate and that the men had been with him for more than six years, serving hundreds of residential clients and multiple apartment projects.
'He said, "We want to hire your Mexicans,"' Mote recalled of an early conversation with the homeowner. Mote says he clarified that the workers are from Honduras and reiterated their long record of service with his company.
Homeowner Denies Involvement
The homeowner, who asked to remain anonymous when contacted by KTVB7, declined a full interview. A video circulating on social media shows neighbors confronting the man about a possible role in the ICE visit; in that clip he reportedly denies placing a call and says he had asked whether Mote employed "any illegals." The source of the report that prompted ICE’s arrival has not been conclusively determined.
National Context
The Post Falls incident comes amid heightened immigration enforcement. An ABC News report from July 2026 noted that ICE had removed 356,389 people as of July 21, 2026, and cited enforcement goals that projected increased arrests during that period. Local residents said the episode has stirred debate over homeowner responsibility, contractor vetting, and how communities respond when federal agencies intervene at private job sites.
What Remains Unclear
Investigators have not publicly confirmed who made the tip that led to ICE’s arrival. Mote and neighbors continue to press for clarity while the broader community weighs the impact on immigrant workers, small businesses and neighbor relations.
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