Carbone Miami Employee Detained by ICE at MIA
Volkan Guzey has been held at a Colorado detention facility since September 4.
Updated on Oct. 9, 2026 in Immigration
Volkan Guzey, a captain at Carbone Miami since 2021, was detained by ICE agents at Miami International Airport on September 4. He has since been transferred through Texas to the Denver Contract Detention Facility in Colorado.
Why it matters
The detention of a long-term local restaurant employee highlights the impact of federal immigration enforcement actions on members of the Miami workforce. Guzey, who is originally from Turkey, remains in federal custody as of October 8.
Volkan Guzey, who had worked at the South Beach restaurant since January 2021, was taken into custody on September 4. As of October 8, he remained held at the Denver Contract Detention Facility.
The players
Volkan Guzey
A long-time hospitality worker who served as a captain at Carbone Miami.
Eliana Cabrera
The wife of the detained employee who resides in Utah.
The details
Guzey was stopped at Miami International Airport and subsequently processed through detention centers in Florida and Texas before arriving in Colorado. The captain had previously worked in the hospitality industry locally since at least 2017. His wife, Eliana Cabrera, remains in Utah.
Timeline
2017: Guzey began working as a captain's assistant at The Grill.
January 2021: Guzey started his role as a captain at Carbone Miami.
September 4, 2026: ICE agents detained Guzey at the airport.
October 8, 2026: Guzey was listed as being held at the Denver facility.
Beyond the 305
This case follows a documented history of federal immigration enforcement actions impacting service industry staff across South Florida. It mirrors previous instances where local workers were detained during transit, disrupting both their professional lives and households.
The detention leaves a vacancy at a popular local restaurant and underscores the risks that long-term, non-citizen workers face when traveling through major transit hubs like MIA. Residents should be aware of federal enforcement activity at regional ports of entry.
The takeaway
Families navigating the federal immigration system often face complex interstate transfers between detention centers. Monitoring official records for specific facility updates is the only way to track a detainee's location.
Further reading
For more on how federal enforcement affects our community, see Immigration.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Miami New Times.
