Evelin Gomez works at the juice bar inside a Vallarta Supermarket in Carson, a place where Mexican culture functions as the business’s beating heart. In the last week, Gomez said, her customers and co-workers have been rattled by ICE immigration raids, while life at the same time continues inside: shoppers browsing dried chiles and pushing shopping carts filled with freshly made tortillas and carne asada.
“I’m very glad that I’m able to interact with people that are really going through things that are really tough right now,” said Gomez, while serving aguas frescas to customers. “I’ve even had customers come in and tell me, ‘The American dream doesn’t exist anymore.’ “
Vallarta, Northgate Gonzalez Markets and others are among prominent immigrant success stories in the food industry of Southern California. Owned and operated by immigrant families, the chains are among the largest Mexican supermarket brands in the country and also stock key ingredients for other Latin American cuisines…