Westlake, Los Angeles (KABC) – Immigration raids of federal agents in southern California have a harmful effect on whole districts in many ways.
The mayor of Los Angeles, Karen Bass, visited companies belonging to immigrants in Westlake in MacArthur Park on Friday morning to speak to business owners of the impact.
Business owners have described the cascade impact on a personal level, their families, their communities and their businesses. A restaurant said they recently canceled a festival on immigration problems, but they didn’t think it was going to get bad.
“Fear is not only for people who could be undocumented, but in general, because I feel like a city of immigrants, we all know someone,” said Sara Mena, the co -owner of the Doña Bibi restaurant.
A common concern is that those who seem to be federal officers taking people from sidewalks, parking lots and businesses. They are generally masked, often in unmarked cars, and sometimes do not wear clothes that identify which agency they are with it.
“It’s just the persecution of our people. It’s just scary. I mean, it’s just scary these days,” said Jesus Lopez, the owner of the Soledad Bakery. “I mean, don’t you know who is the cop? Who is an ice agent? Who is a bonus hunter? And now, I can be dressed as a cop and make people kidnap.”
Eyewitness News asked Bass if her office investigates one of these cases, if she spoke with the Ministry of Internal Security, and if the city has an authority over how raids are underway.
“I am deeply disturbed on this subject. I spoke to our police chief today. We absolutely look at how we react to this, because at least, people must produce their identity document,” said Bass. “But we must understand how to do it, and we understand it now.”
Lopez says he is worried about his two teenagers, and they are worried about him.
“They ask me:” Dad, what happens if you are arrested? ” I don’t know.
Like Lopez, Mena says his business has been affected. Many people are afraid and do not want to go out, so they provide delivery services.
“No matter your legal status right now, we are all afraid. As I mentioned earlier, I am a naturalized citizen, but my daughter is a citizen born in the United States, and she is afraid,” said Mena.
Despite fear, Mena and his family also participated in demonstrations, wrapped in Hondurian and American flags.
“I said that I felt bad, because all the children who lost certain members of their family or friends, especially this Fathers’ Day, and many as, the children did not have their fathers with which to celebrate,” said the 10 -year -old daughter of Mena.
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