The humming clippers at D’Cuba Barbershop are quieter than usual these days. For owner Damian Lami, the silence is a direct result of a growing wave of anxiety sweeping through Jacksonville’s Hispanic communities as Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) conducts operations across the city.
In early 2026, the presence of federal agents had transformed daily routines into a series of calculated risks. Even for those with legal status, the fear of a simple misunderstanding has changed how they navigate their own neighborhoods.
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Damian Lami opened D’Cuba Barbershop on Beachwood Plaza eight months ago, quickly establishing what he calls the best Latino barbershop in Jacksonville Plaza. Business was thriving until the recent enforcement surge began. Now, he says, the drop in clientele is unmistakable.
“Business was going well until the ICE operations started,” Lami said in Spanish…