Feds Go After Madison Taco Boss Despite Evers Pardon

Federal immigration officials are still trying to deport Noel Quintana Gonzalez, the co-owner of Señor Machetes Mexican Grill in downtown Madison, even after Gov. Tony Evers wiped his state record clean with a pardon. Quintana was stopped by immigration officers at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport while coming back from a trip to Mexico, and his case has since turned into a neighborhood cause, complete with fundraisers, rallies and a political tug-of-war over who really gets the final say.

Gov. Tony Evers signed a pardon for Quintana on Feb. 13, 2026, saying the restaurateur had shown “personal growth” and become a steady presence in his community, according to reporting by Urban Milwaukee. Quintana’s pardon application states he became a lawful permanent resident in 2022 and that a 2006 felony conviction for drug possession with intent to distribute upended his life. His attorney asked the governor’s pardon advisory board to move quickly, and supporters say the whole point of the pardon was to give Quintana a fighting chance to avoid removal and keep his family together.

What DHS says

The Department of Homeland Security says Quintana was detained at O’Hare on Jan. 23 because of that 2006 cocaine conviction, and that deportation proceedings are still appropriate despite the governor’s pardon, according to Wisconsin Public Radio. Federal officials have told reporters that a green card is “a privilege, not a right” and signaled they intend to keep pressing the case to remove him.

Wisconsin State Journal reporting says Quintana spent weeks in custody at the request of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Local coverage also found he was booked into an out-of-state jail while neighbors and customers back in Madison started organizing fundraisers to help his family pay the bills, according to Spectrum News.

Pardons and immigration law

Legal observers say Quintana’s situation is a textbook example of the gap between state forgiveness and federal immigration power. A governor’s pardon can clean up a state criminal record, but it does not automatically erase immigration consequences.

Advocates, including Human Rights Watch, note that federal case law and immigration agency rulings often limit how far a pardon can go in fixing the fallout from an old conviction. Appellate courts have at times rejected broad claims that a pardon shields someone from removal, as illustrated in the Fourth Circuit’s decision in Tetteh v. Garland.

Support in Madison

Back in downtown Madison, the focus has been less on case law and more on keeping the lights on at Señor Machetes. Neighbors and regulars have rallied around the restaurant while Quintana remains under federal scrutiny, packing the dining room and turning meal tabs into quiet acts of protest.

Community fundraisers and an in-restaurant benefit pulled in tens of thousands of dollars, and local officials and longtime colleagues publicly backed the family, according to WMTV. Supporters describe Quintana and his wife as anchors of the downtown food scene since opening the restaurant in 2019.

What to watch next

The Department of Homeland Security says it plans to appeal in Quintana’s case even after his release from custody, and immigration courts will ultimately decide how much the governor’s pardon changes his legal situation, according to Urban Milwaukee. Quintana’s attorneys argue the pardon is still his strongest shield against deportation and say they intend to keep pressing that argument in immigration court.

For now, Señor Machetes is open, the kitchen is busy and the neighborhood appears determined to stand behind the family while the legal fight plays out.