Westlake business owners share detrimental impact of ICE raids with LA mayor

“The fear is not just for people that might be undocumented, but in general, because I feel as a city of immigrants, we all know somebody,” one business owner said.

“The fear is not just for people that might be undocumented, but in general, because I feel as a city of immigrants, we all know somebody,” one business owner said.

“The fear is not just for people that might be undocumented, but in general, because I feel as a city of immigrants, we all know somebody,” one business owner said.

“The fear is not just for people that might be undocumented, but in general, because I feel as a city of immigrants, we all know somebody,” one business owner said.

WESTLAKE, LOS ANGELES (KABC) — Immigration raids by federal agents across Southern California are having a detrimental effect on entire neighborhoods in many ways.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass visited immigrant-owned businesses in Westlake at MacArthur Park on Friday morning to talk to the business owners about the impact.

The business owners described the cascading impact on a personal level, on their families, communities, and businesses. One restaurant said they recently canceled a festival over immigration concerns, but they didn’t think it would get this bad.

“The fear is not just for people that might be undocumented, but in general, because I feel as a city of immigrants, we all know somebody,” said Sara Mena, the co-owner of Doña Bibi’s Restaurant.

One prevalent topic of concern is over those who appear to be federal officers taking people from sidewalks, parking lots, and businesses. They’re usually masked, often in unmarked cars, and at times, are not wearing clothing that identifies which agency they’re with.

“It’s just the persecution of our people. It’s just scary. I mean, it’s just scary nowadays,” said Jesus Lopez, the owner of La Soledad Bakery. “I mean, you don’t know who’s the cop? Who’s an ICE agent? Who’s a bounty hunter? And now, I can be dressed up as a cop and just go kidnap people.”

Eyewitness News asked Bass if her office is investigating any of these cases, if she’s spoken with the Department of Homeland Security, and if the city has any authority over the manner in which the raids are being carried out.

“I am deeply troubled about that. I was speaking to our chief of police today. We absolutely are looking at how we respond to this, because at a minimum, people have to produce their ID,” Bass said. “But we have to figure out how to do it, and we’re figuring that out now.”

Lopez says he worries about his two teenage children, and they worry about him.

“They ask me, ‘Dad, what happens if you get arrested?’ I don’t know. What happens if I get arrested? I don’t know the answer to that,” Lopez said.

Like Lopez, Mena says her business has been impacted. Many people are scared and don’t want to go outside, so they are providing delivery services.

“No matter what your legal status is right now, we are all in fear. Like I mentioned earlier, I’m a naturalized citizen, but my daughter is a born U.S.A. citizen, and she’s scared,” Mena said.

Despite the fear, Mena and her family have also participated in protests, wrapped in Honduran and U.S. flags.

“I said that I feel bad, for like, all the kids that have lost some of their family members or friends, especially that Father’s Day just passed and a lot of like, kids didn’t have their fathers to celebrate with,” Mena’s 10-year-old daughter told Bass.