A Michigan restaurant owner says US immigration agents who were conducting enforcement at the business ate breakfast before detaining four workers.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials say agents were doing 'a targeted enforcement action' at the Ann Arbor restaurant, Sava.

ICE officials say two of the men entered the country illegally and another overstayed his visa.

One of the men had proper documentation. Authorities say the men tried to leave the restaurant before being arrested.

Restaurant owner Sava Lelcaj-Farah said several agents ate breakfast at the restaurant before entering the kitchen area.

She says her company vets employees to determine their eligibility and that she had believed they were in the country legally.

‘It’s scary and everyone is shaken up by it,’ Lelcaj-Farah told WJBK-TV.

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The owner of a Michigan eatery, Sava's Restaurant (above), says US immigration agents who were conducting enforcement at the business ate breakfast before arresting four workers

Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials say agents were doing 'a targeted enforcement action' at the Ann Arbor restaurant

Restaurant owner Sava Lelcaj-Farah said several agents ate breakfast at the restaurant before entering the kitchen area

At approximately 11:30am on Wednesday, at least five ICE agents entered the restaurant in search of an employee who was not there at the time.

The agents took seats at the bar and ate breakfast, according to WJBK-TV.

Workers at the restaurant said that while agents at the bar kept an eye on the kitchen, other agents were on the lookout near the front and back exits.

One of the restaurant’s employees, Carlos, was detained after he stepped out to the back to empty the trash.

Lelcaj-Farah said that Carlos was detained even though he showed the agents proper documents.

‘It was a mistaken identity which is really sad for us,’ she said.

‘This is supposed to be a sanctuary for our employees and they are to feel safe and protected and of course that didn’t happen today.’

Moments later, as word of Carlos’ arrest spread, three employees tried to leave the restaurant through the front door.

All three were detained.

'These guys are living under fear and there are enough stories of innocent people getting arrested that they freaked out and ran out the front door where they were apprehended,' Lelcaj-Farah told the New York Daily News.

Lelcaj-Farah has said that she vets her employees by using a third party that determines whether they can legally work in the country.

‘We of course respect the law but we understand that there are certain situations that we are not aware of,’ she said.

Lelcaj-Farah said that while most customers have been supportive of the restaurant, a number of Ann Arbor residents have told her they plan to boycott her establishment because it employed undocumented migrants.

'Now people are saying, "I’m never going to eat at your restaurant because you hire illegal immigrants",' she said.

Lelcaj-Farah has said that she vets her employees by using a third party that determines whether they can legally work in the country. The above stock image shows an ICE agent detaining an immigrant in Los Angeles in 2015

'I myself was an illegal immigrant, and if that’s how you feel, we are not the restaurant for you.'

ICE released a statement about the incident, according to WEMU.

‘While conducting a targeted enforcement action at Sava's restaurant in Ann Arbor, Michigan, ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) officers encountered and arrested three individuals on immigration violations.

‘Sergio Cardenas Rubio and Jesus Ortiz Hernandez unlawfully entered the United States without inspection at an unknown date and location.

‘Mohamed Souman lawfully entered the country, but did not depart in accordance with the terms of his status. All three are currently in ICE custody.’

Lelcaj-Farah said that three of those detained either have been released or are due to be released on Thursday, while the fourth detainee is likely to remain in custody at least until Friday.