Immigration Visits to Latino Businesses in the U.S. Frighten Workers and Shoppers
Posted on03/27/25 at 11:26
- ICE Operation in Tucson
- Hispanic Business Loses Workers
- Fear Grows in the Community
Over 16 heavily armed immigration agents stormed a Hispanic supermarket in southern Tucson, Arizona.
The unannounced operation caused panic among workers, customers, and suppliers at Beef Master Meat Market.
The owner, Marco Antonio López, said his butcher shop was surrounded by patrol cars and unmarked vehicles.
According to the agents, it was not a raid, but a verification to check whether employees had legal authorization to work.
Latino Businesses Lose Revenue and Workers After ICE Operations
Although there were no arrests, agents took records from the business, employees, and suppliers for future review. Owners of other small Latino businesses say they have lost up to 50% of their income due to similar operations. López stated that the day after the operation, none of his eight employees showed up to work. Since then, only he, his wife, and his children have been running the business. He was also forced to shut down the prepared food section due to lack of staff. Many workers have not returned out of fear, as they come from families with mixed immigration status. You May Be Interested: ICE Arrests Over 370 People in Boston During ‘Intensified Operation’ López lamented that ICE does not act the same way in businesses located in the northern part of the city, where most owners are not Latino. He said he has tried hiring U.S. citizens, but they either reject the conditions or turn down the job. He has even offered work to unhoused individuals, but they too have refused. Now he faces a possible audit and will need to hire an attorney, increasing his financial burden. Activists report that ICE operations targeting Latino-owned businesses in Tucson have been systematic and frequent. The Arizona Human Rights Coalition says affected businesses face fear, financial losses, and fines of up to $27,000 per employee. [caption id="attachment_1467833" align="alignnone" width="1600"]
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ICE Operation in Tucson Impacts Hispanic Business / Photo: MundoNOW