Small business owners across Minnesota are experiencing significant economic harm due to Operation Metro Surge and ongoing ICE activity. For many months, owners have reported fewer customers, employees have been afraid to come to work, and there has been a growing sense of fear that is making it harder to run a business and serve their communities.
Since Dec. 6, after the launch of Operation Metro Surge, the situation has grown far more bleak, with both immigrant owned businesses and non immigrant businesses losing employees due to raids in the workplace and homes, and closing their doors. Businesses from restaurants to healthcare centers to construction companies are impacted- having an enormous impact on all sectors of the local economy, disrupting daily life for Minnesotans who need essential services.
In addition, the environment of fear, intimidation, and violence targeting communities of color and the most vulnerable is completely unacceptable. In the wake of the murder of Renee Good, small business owners are stepping up to support their community in this challenging time…