As of Thursday evening, five were no longer listed as being in the Butler County Jail.
Sabor Peruano is a nightclub and restaurant, which has a nightclub entrance on the north side for Rumba Bar Latino. The Journal-News confirmed the two sides are connected on the inside of the establishment, and the restaurant was operational on Friday afternoon with patrons eating in and carrying out food.
The Fairfield Police Department said the operation at Sabor Peruano Night Club, 7245 Dixie Highway, was in response to recent violence in the area and aimed at reducing criminal activity associated with the club. They cite two shootings that were directly linked to the establishment in the past two months.
“Investigations revealed that many of the individuals involved were in the country illegally,” according to a media release from the Fairfield Police Department. “As a result, we have been working closely with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers to assist with our investigations.”
The Saturday raid, which Fairfield called an “operation,” was a coordinated effort with the Butler County Sheriff’s Office, and multiple federal agencies, including ICE, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Butler County Sheriff Richard Jones called this “probably the biggest round up of illegal aliens in Ohio.”
Probably biggest round up of illegal aliens in Ohio.
— Richard K. Jones (@butlersheriff) August 22, 2025
“All individuals were identified as being in the United States illegally and are currently being held pending further action by federal immigration authorities,” according to a news release from the Sheriff’s Office.
Before the operation was executed on Saturday, police officers anticipated encountering people who were in the country illegally and possibly armed. For that reason, the department requested federal law enforcement assistance.
“Despite multiple opportunities to address ongoing concerns, the ownership of Sabor Peruano has not taken sufficient steps to resolve the issues,” according to the Fairfield Police Department. “As such, we will continue to closely monitor the situation and allocate resources as necessary to ensure the safety of our community.”
They were arrested and taken to the Butler County Jail. On Thursday, all but five were still in the Butler County Jail, being held on the ICE hold, with five others having criminal charges levied.
The Sheriff’s Office also said it will keep detaining people who are in the United States illegally. The Butler County Sheriff’s Office said it will continue to work with ICE and surrounding law enforcement agencies “to aggressively identify, detain, and remove individuals unlawfully present in this country.”
“Many of these individuals have been here for years, living and working outside the law,” Jones said. “Butler County will not be a sanctuary. We will continue to enforce the law, protect our citizens, and hold accountable those who break it.”
Credit: Michael D. Pitman
Credit: Michael D. Pitman
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