How Trump’s deportation campaign turned into a vibrant immigrant community into a ghost city

Usually, the streets in the Colombia Heights neighborhood in Washington, DC, will be filled with Latin shopping or work in local stores, sellers and restaurants. But recently, a vibrant society is usually almost empty.

Everything changed on August 7, when US President Donald Trump published federal law enforcement agencies and the National Guard in the city.

“People are really afraid of going out,” said Fernanda Rivas, whose parents have bakeries in the area. She says that increased law enforcement officials in the street has disturbed many of its customers.

“This place is always busy with immigrants and everyone works here, and now we see a really great slowdown for customers who simply come because people are afraid of going out here.”

Her family’s work escaped from the epidemic, but they are now struggling again.

“People come to the bakery and only apologize and be like, I am sorry because we did not come. It is only, we are afraid to leave our homes and go to work and do anything.”

The retreat in shoppers does not pass without anyone noticing.

“Less than crowds, less than people, less energy,” said Damon Demirers, a meat delivery driver. “I haven’t seen anything like him.”

He says he has noticed a radical decrease in shoppers in all the stores in which he is delivered. Although no one specifically told him, this is due to an increase in the application of the law, Demieres says, “Everyone knows what is going on.“

Deportation of deportation under Trump

On the first day of Trump in his post in January, he signed an executive order directing immigration and customs enforcement agents (ICE) to implement immigration laws in the country. He claimed that there are 10 million “illegal foreigners” in the United States, and he said that his administration was aimed at deporting them all.

In May, the Chief of Staff Stephen Miller gave the ice a share of 3000 detention a day, which they could not meet.

Last month, ICE agents were seen in home warehouses throughout the United States, as they acquired daytime workers on their way to work. On August 12, the Ministry of Internal Security told Reuters this 185,000 people were deported from the United States During the second Trump administration.

“People do not come to work, especially immigrant workers, who can be said … they are the backbone of our industry,” Sean Townenen, President and CEO of the Metropolitan Restaurant Washington Restaurant, said in an interview with CBC News.

Townsund says that most of these workers have legitimate paper work for living and working in the United States, however they are still afraid of deportation.

“There is an increasing level of anxiety among migrant workers,” he said. “I think operators are trying to discover ways to support them in the best possible way.”

Then there are people like Elizabeth and Adriana. They came to America illegally, but they will still work every day because they could not bear this. CBC News does not use its last names or identify their workplaces because women are at risk of deportation.

“I need money,” said Elizabeth from her job inside a local kitchen.

She has two children, but she did not transfer them to school this year because they are also afraid.

Elizabeth came to America from El Salvador 20 years ago, but she has no legal status to stay. Her children are born here, and she wants to apply for accommodation, but they are very afraid to do this now. Especially after hearing the arrest of people outside their immigration sessions.

Adriana works in a restaurant and bar below the street. She came to America eight months before Guatemala. She has no papers either, but she continues to go to work because she needs money.

“I You want the leaves. Adriana said, “I am good people, I want to see my family again,” Adriana said.

But it was unable to leave the United States, because it will not be able to return.

Some Latinists now hold an identity to prove citizenship

Gilver Mazirigos was born in America and lives in Arlington, Virginia. In a hair salon in the Colombia Heights neighborhood in Washington, he told CBC News that he is now carrying his knowledge wherever he went, and until he takes his passport when he visits another city.

“I took my passport with me to Florida, only in case, as you know, perhaps a kind of discrimination or something like thisandMesirigos said.

Rivas, whose family has two informants, says her parents came to America 20 years ago, but they are also really tense during their daily life.

“We definitely encouraged us to make sure that we have an identity with us,” Rivas said. “They carry their passports and whatever they have to identify themselves and prove that they are American citizens.”

She says her family has contributed a lot in this country and feels that the way they are treated is a slap in the face.

“It is really difficult to see them feel fear, although they are legally here, but to see my family feel that this is a frightening time to be outside and to be themselves,” Rivas said.