A Texas food truck, which was a favorite among the locals for its Mexican-style chicken, rice and beans, burritos and tortillas, among other delicacies, closed its doors forever this year. The reason? The chef, Sergio Garcia, 65, was deported by the ICE.
Sergio Garcia, who had been living in the United States for 36 years, was deported by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), on March 25 this year. Sergio, an expert in Mexican cuisine, was once a part of former President George W. Bush’s brigade of chefs. He was deported by the ICE for crossing the border illegally in 1989.
The chef who once catered events for Bush had been running Sergio’s Food Truck in recent years. The Facebook handle of Sergio Food Truck features an old photo of the chef with former U.S. President George Bush and former First Lady Laura Bush. The picture happens to be from 2008, from their ranch in Crawford.
The chef’s arrest took place in March this year, almost two decades after a deportation order. Recalling his arrest, on a phone call with The Waco Bridge, Sergio said he was loading his food truck to serve the morning batch of customers in March this year, when ICE officials approached him. “They asked me if I’m Sergio, and I said, ‘Yeah, I’m Sergio.’ Then they said, ‘You gotta come with us.’”
Post Sergio’s arrest in March, the food truck was operational till September 27. It was run by the chef’s daughter, Esmeralda, and her older sister, Astrid Garcia. In a post shared by the family on Facebook, the family wrote, “As we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, we are reminded of the stories of hard work, resilience, and dreams that shape our community. With brave hearts, we share that Sergio’s Food Truck and Sergio’s Restaurant will be closing permanently at the end of September.”
In September this year, Sergio’s son shared a statement on the family’s behalf, announcing that they will be closing the food truck in the wake of the turmoil in their family. “Hello everyone. Today was our official last day. We tried to make it until the end of the month but we ran out of everything. Thank you all for your continued support after all these years. My dad Sergio, and all of us are forever grateful. The end of an era. At least now you know who has the best burrito,” read the statement posted on Facebook.
Sergio drew inspiration for his flavour profiles from his hometown, Veracruz, in Mexico, where he grew up right by the ocean. He started his career by selling ceviche there and went on to open El Siete Mares. Besides cooking for high-profile clients like George W. Bush, Sergio Garcia established his Sergio’s Food Truck and Restaurant, where he continued to work for most of his life until his deportation in March this year.
Meanwhile, Assistant Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security Tricia McLaughlin referred to Sergio Garcia as a “criminal” in a statement with Newsweek. “Sergio Garcia Silva is a CRIMINAL. This criminal illegal alien from Mexico was previously removed from this country in March 2025—over 20 years after a judge issued him a final order of removal. He chose to ignore our laws and illegally re-enter the country—a federal felony offense,” read Tricia McLaughlin’s statement.
Labelling Sergio as a “lawbreaker,” Tricia McLaughlin added in her statement, “This lawbreaker was arrested by Border Patrol and was convicted for illegal re-entry. Bottom line: Under President Trump and Secretary Noem, if you break the law, you will face the consequences. Criminal illegal aliens are not welcome in the U.S.”
