Fewer diners, tense restaurant workers amid immigration crackdown
The chilly first two months of the year are usually a peak business period for Teddy’s Red Tacos, where diners indulge in the restaurant’s specialty, birria — spicy, warm and deeply tender meat slowly braised in its own fat and served with a pool of flavorful broth.
Decline in Sales
But this year, it’s different. The day after President Trump announced a series of immigration actions to fulfill a campaign promise of mass deportations, Teddy Vazquez, owner of Teddy’s Red Tacos, noticed a steep drop in sales at all of his 10 locations in Los Angeles and Orange County.
Two weeks later, sales had dropped by half of what he’d normally make in January.
“People are afraid to go out. There’s no movement. There are no people coming in to eat,” Vazquez said. “People don’t want to go out because they don’t know what is going to happen with this administration.”
Restaurateurs and Workers on Edge
Vazquez said most of his taco shops — from Echo Park to Anaheim — are in neighborhoods with a large proportion of immigrant inhabitants.
At the Venice location of Teddy’s Red Tacos, where birria is one of the popular dishes customers order.
(Mariah Tauger / Los Angeles Times)
“A lot of people who support Teddy’s are immigrants,” he said. “Customers are thinking: ‘What if ICE [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] shows up while I’m eating at Teddy’s?'”
Vazquez isn’t alone. He’s one of several people in the food-service industry — from restaurateurs to back-of-the-house workers — who are bracing for the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown.
Of an estimated 8.3 million workers without legal status who are employed in the U.S., approximately 1 million have restaurant industry jobs, according to the Center for Migration Studies, an international migration think tank in New York.
Preparing for the Worst
Several restaurateurs are scrambling to create plans in case ICE descends on their business. Managers are calling staff meetings to inform workers of their constitutional rights. Owners are circulating red cards to their restaurant staff advising them to “not answer any questions” if approached by an immigration agent.
At the same time, several food-service workers reported that they stopped driving to work and instead are taking ride-shares to avoid being pulled over. A line cook said she no longer leaves her home in Santa Ana except for work. A dishwasher in the San Gabriel Valley wrote an email to his employer, confessing that he was in the country without legal status and asking his boss if he could help sponsor him for a “work permit.”
“It is known that there are millions of undocumented immigrants in this country, I am one more of them,” the dishwasher wrote. “When I started working with you almost 2 years ago, I never thought I would tell you this, and I apologize if this may cause you problems later or in the future.”
Immigration Attorney Weighs In
At a loss for what to do, the restaurant owner — who did not want to be identified because he’s afraid of being targeted by ICE — called Kim Luu-Ng, an immigration attorney who, with her husband, Bryant Ng, also operates Cassia, the celebrated Santa Monica restaurant that is closing Feb. 22 after being a regular presence on this paper’s 101 Best Restaurants in Los Angeles list and the 2019 L.A. Times Gold Award winner.
Immigration attorney Kim Luu-Ng, right, with her husband, the chef Bryant Ng. Together they own the Santa Monica restaurant Cassia, which is closing Feb. 22.
(Mariah Tauger / Los Angeles Times)
Luu-Ng met with the worker, a Mexican national in his 20s who has a young U.S. citizen child. He entered the U.S. four years ago without undergoing a formal inspection process at the border. She asked the worker a series of questions to determine whether there was a way for him to qualify for legal status.
There was none.
“Even though you have a very supportive employer, who is eager and willing to sponsor you, unfortunately, that cannot happen in this situation,” she told him, “Your employer cannot sponsor you. Unfortunately, there’s nothing I can do for you at this time.”
Restaurant Industry at Risk
Restaurants, cafes, and bars are “super easy targets” for immigration raids, she said, because there are so many of them. Also, ICE agents can legally enter public areas of a business, such as a dining room or waiting area of a restaurant, without explicit permission.
“It provides good optics for the Trump administration,” she added.
Avoiding Private Areas
ICE agents cannot lawfully enter private areas without permission or a warrant signed by a state or federal judge. These private areas include backrooms, kitchens, offices, or other areas of a business not generally open to the public.
Sometimes ICE agents will present administrative warrants with the heading “U.S. Department of Homeland Security” as evidence of their permission to enter private areas, but it doesn’t give agents the right to enter private areas without the consent of an authorized employer.
“A lot of times people don’t know their rights and people just let them in,” Luu-Ng said.
Conclusion
The restaurant industry is at risk of being significantly impacted by the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown. With a decline in sales and a tense atmosphere, restaurateurs and workers are bracing for the worst. As the situation continues to unfold, it’s clear that the industry will need to adapt and find ways to mitigate the effects of this crackdown.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the impact of the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown on the restaurant industry?
A: The industry is experiencing a decline in sales and a tense atmosphere, with many workers and restaurateurs feeling anxious and uncertain about the future.
Q: What are the main concerns for restaurateurs and workers?
A: The main concerns include the potential for ICE raids and the impact on their businesses, as well as the uncertainty and fear that comes with the administration’s immigration policies.
Q: What can be done to mitigate the effects of this crackdown?
A: Restaurateurs and workers can work together to create plans for dealing with potential ICE raids, such as circulating red cards with advice on what to do if approached by an immigration agent. They can also work to educate themselves on their rights and the rights of their employees.
Q: What is the impact on the community?
A: The community is also being affected by the decline in sales and the tense atmosphere, with many people feeling anxious and uncertain about the future. The community is coming together to support each other and to find ways to mitigate the effects of this crackdown.
