A new UC Irvine analysis says last summer’s stepped-up ICE sweeps did more than rattle nerves in immigrant neighborhoods across Orange County. They coincided with a sharp pullback in consumer spending, an estimated $58.9 million drop in local economic output, and about $4.5 million less in sales tax collected over just eight weeks. From Santa Ana’s Fourth Street to family-run restaurants, business owners reported pivots, shorter hours, and layoffs that nudged already fragile shops closer to the edge. Taken together, the data and on-the-ground stories point to both a demand shock and disruptions in the local workforce.
Study Finds a Steep Chilling Effect
According to the UC Irvine Social Impact Hub report, published Jan. 21, 2026, researchers surveyed…..