Hernan closed his Latin American restaurant in northwest Washington DC after staff received calls and messages about Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) checkpoints in the neighborhood. Employees feared targeting and racial profiling and asked to go home, and delivery workers also stopped coming. The owner reports that the restaurant has remained closed since National Guard deployment and increased immigration arrests. Many restaurants across the city face fewer customers, staff shortages, and interrupted deliveries as both documented and undocumented immigrant workers avoid streets or are detained. Restaurant owners report uncertainty about reopening timelines and attribute closures and lost business directly to federal enforcement and troop presence.
Hernan was at the Latin American restaurant that he owns with his brother in north-west Washington DC last week when his staff started getting phone calls and messages about Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) checkpoints in the neighborhood. The employees, scared that they might be targeted and racially profiled, asked if they could go home. Within hours, Hernan had to close their doors, and the restaurant hasn't been open since.
Literally after President Trump brought the national guard on DC, everything stopped, said Hernan, who requested his last name not be used due to fears of Ice retaliation. Everything disappeared because the bike delivery guys, they're scared. They're not on the streets right now. My people, most of my cooks are Spanish[-speaking] and they don't want to go to DC right now.
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