Heavy immigration enforcement has turned once\u2011bustling commercial strips into near\u2011silent streets, severely battering immigrant\u2011run businesses and their workers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Santee Alley\u2014the bargain\u2011hunter\u2019s hub of the downtown fashion district\u2014should be shoulder\u2011to\u2011shoulder in July. Instead, metal shutters already rattle as vendors close early. Community leaders blame a surge of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations that have driven residents indoors and tourists elsewhere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Business\u2011improvement chief Anthony\u202fRodr\u00edguez calls the 45\u202fpercent drop in visitors \u201cunprecedented.\u201d That means 10,000 to 12,000 fewer shoppers each day. Who can keep a storefront open when the sidewalk is empty?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Merchants now whisper that the district feels \u201clike a ghost town.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Store owner Christopher\u202fP\u00e9rez says sales have fallen by half: \u201cWe survived COVID, but this feels worse.\u201d Consequently, some vendors skip rent or cut staff hours, fearing the next inspection sweep. Shoppers\u2014many in mixed\u2011status families\u2014opt for online orders instead of crowded markets. Can you blame them? Immediate fallout cited by vendors:<\/p>\n\n\n\nPeriod<\/th> Daily visitors<\/th> Change<\/th><\/tr><\/thead> Before latest raids<\/td> 22,000<\/td> \u2014<\/td><\/tr> After latest raids<\/td> 12,000<\/td> \u2013 45\u202f%<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n Business owners report pandemic\u2011level revenue drops as shoppers stay home<\/h2>\n\n\n\n