Gerardo Pichardo used to set out his electronics and Amazon overstock products for sale in an indoor space at the Santa Fe Springs Swap Meet.
But after a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement raid on June 14 at the Los Angeles area hub for Spanish-speaking Latino vendors, he said he now sets up outside, “with only essential things, so if anything happens I can get out of here fast.”
Vendors such as Pichardo say fear of ICE has meant a loss of customers and fewer vendors this summer. Some vendors stopped showing up, and the ones who continued selling said their business declined, though it is slowly returning…