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Venezuelans in Doral Describe Fear of ICE and a Sense of «Betrayal»
Venezuelan residents and community leaders in Doral describe emptier businesses and changes to family routines amid fear of ICE.
By  Daniel Navas
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miedo a ICE en Doral, Venezuelans in Doral Describe Fear of ICE and a Sense of "Betrayal"
FOTO: Shutterstock

Posted on 09/24/26 at 06:00

Doral residents describe businesses with fewer customers and families avoiding going out as immigration enforcement affects one of the largest Venezuelan communities in the United States.

Doral, sometimes nicknamed «Doralzuela» because of its large Venezuelan community, is experiencing a climate of fear amid immigration enforcement, according to testimonies collected by EFE.

  • Why it matters: Residents say the fear is affecting not only immigrants who may face deportation, but also family routines, work, and local businesses.

Empty Businesses and Families Staying Home

«Doral is a ghost town,» Adelys Ferro, executive director of the Venezuelan American Caucus, told EFE, describing empty businesses and fearful residents.

Venezuelans in Doral
Venezuelans in Doral Describe Fear of ICE and a Sense of «Betrayal» – PHOTO: EFE

Liz Rebecca Alarcón, a resident for more than 20 years, said supermarkets and stores have fewer customers and that some families have even changed their children’s routines.

«People are terrified to leave their homes,» Ferro said. However, these testimonies alone do not establish a broad economic decline across the city.

The fact: Doral had an estimated population of 81,634 in 2025, with 85.5% identifying as Hispanic or Latino, according to the Census Bureau.

Another sign: 70.3% of residents were foreign-born, according to 2020-2024 Census estimates.

Fear Also Reaches Immigrants With Legal Documents

Ana Delgado, a resident of Dominican origin, told EFE that fear also exists among families who, according to her, have valid immigration documents.

deportations in Florida
Venezuelans in Doral Describe Fear of ICE and a Sense of «Betrayal» – PHOTO: EFE

The situation comes after major changes to protections that had benefited some Venezuelans, including the termination of the CHNV humanitarian parole program and changes to Venezuela’s TPS designations.

This does not mean that all Venezuelans in Doral are undocumented or have lost lawful status. The community includes people with different immigration statuses and legal circumstances.

  • What changes: People who lose temporary protection and do not have another valid immigration status or legal basis to remain may face immigration consequences.

Venezuelans in Doral Describe a «Bitter Awakening»

  • There is also a political dimension: Some Venezuelans who supported Trump now say they are disappointed with the direction of his immigration policies.

Alarcón described «much indignation, much fear» and a «feeling of betrayal,» particularly among people who supported the president electorally.

Ferro described the moment as a «very bitter awakening,» although these testimonies do not establish that the broader Venezuelan community has changed its political views.

  • The limit: The experiences collected by EFE reflect the accounts of individual residents and community leaders, not a public opinion survey of Venezuelans in Doral.

The most visible change described by those interviewed is in daily life: families avoiding going out and merchants waiting for customers in a city accustomed to a different level of activity.

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