Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) conducted raids on several restaurants in the Washington, D.C. area. One of the targeted establishments was Chef Geoff’s, a restaurant owned by Geoff Tracy, the husband of former “CBS Evening News” anchor Norah O’Donnell.
The raid, which took place on May 6, 2025, involved ICE agents demanding to see work authorization documents from employees. No arrests were made immediately following the raid. O’Donnell currently serves as a special correspondent and anchor for CBS News.
This event comes at a turbulent time for CBS News, which is facing a significant $20 billion lawsuit from Donald Trump. The suit alleges that a CBS News interview with then-presidential candidate Kamala Harris was manipulated to make her appear more coherent. While there’s no direct evidence linking the raid to O’Donnell’s connections, the timing is noteworthy. The lawsuit has raised concerns about the potential impact on Paramount Global’s planned merger with Skydance Media.
The Trump lawsuit stems from an interview with Kamala Harris conducted before the 2024 election. Different portions of Harris' responses were aired in a “60 Minutes” preview and the main segment. Trump claims this editing favored Harris and damaged his campaign, despite winning the election. Legal experts largely dismiss the lawsuit's merits and the exorbitant $20 billion demand.
Adding to the complexities, CBS News complied with a 2025 FCC request to release the raw interview footage and transcript. The FCC is also investigating CBS News for “news distortion,” even with limited direct authority. Bill Owens, “60 Minutes” executive producer, resigned in April 2024, urging staff to resist government pressures.