At a small Latino grocery tucked into Southeast Portland, the shelves are stocked but the aisles are quiet, and owner Joe Esparza is worried. He says longtime customers have stopped coming because they are afraid of immigration enforcement, and the hit to his bottom line has put the store’s future in doubt. Esparza estimates the business has already lost between $10,000 and $15,000, and says that at the current pace the shop may only last another six months.
Esparza told reporters that federal agents were seen operating in the neighborhood last December, about three blocks from his storefront. As reported by KGW, Esparza said “they don’t want to get caught by ICE,” explaining that weekly receipts have fallen roughly 20 percent since the activity began.
Regional ripple effects
His experience mirrors a wider slump across the metro area. As reported by Portland Business Journal, Su Casa Super Mercado, a long-running eastside market, saw business decline by about 40% last year as customers stayed away amid heightened enforcement, leaving operators scrambling to cover payroll and rent.
Community groups say families are being torn apart
Local advocates say the fear stretches far beyond storefronts. A family-support coordinator at Latino Network told KGW the group is working with roughly 50 families who have had a loved one detained, and that many people are avoiding errands, work and school out of concern they will be swept up in enforcement actions. Latino Network lists immigration navigation and family support among its services.
Vendors pull back, events shrink
The chill is reaching community events as well. KOIN 6 News reported that at the Tacos, Tequila and Tamales festival at the Expo Center, vendors pulled out and turnout was much lower this year after sellers said they were too afraid of ICE activity to participate…