LOS FRESNOS, Texas (KXXV) — The owners of a beloved South Texas bakery face federal charges for allegedly employing and housing undocumented workers, sparking backlash in their tight-knit community.
The Associated Press says that Leonardo Baez and Nora Avila-Guel, permanent U.S. residents and owners of Abby’s Bakery, were arrested in February along with eight employees. Federal officials say they knowingly hired workers without legal status and provided housing in the same building.
The couple has pleaded not guilty. Their attorneys argue the workers weren’t hidden or mistreated.
The arrests shocked locals in Los Fresnos, a largely Latino town near the U.S.-Mexico border, where the bakery is a staple. Supporters say the couple helped people in need, not criminals.
If convicted, Baez and Avila-Guel could be deported, despite having five U.S.-born children. Abby’s has since reopened, drawing crowds and quiet protests against the broader immigration crackdown.
