Restaurants in Washington DC are shutting their doors as staff, terrified of deportation, refuse to come to work. The crackdown by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has left many eateries struggling to stay open.
One restaurant owner, who asked to remain anonymous for fear of retaliation, said his Latin American establishment in northwest DC closed after employees received messages about ICE checkpoints. “Literally after President Trump brought the national guard on DC, everything stopped,” he said. “My people … don’t want to go to DC right now.”
José Andrés, a prominent Washington restaurateur, wrote on social media: “Restaurants will close because you have troops with guns and federal agents harassing people … making people afraid to go out.” Maketto, an Asian restaurant in northeast DC, reported that two of its workers were detained walking home from work.
Immigrants make up 36 per cent of the workforce in DC’s restaurants and hotels, according to data from FWD.us. Elizabeth Rodriguez, owner of Elizabeth Pupusería & Deli, said her business relied on construction workers who have also stopped coming. She has been unable to pay her staff for two weeks.
The closures come despite President Trump claiming his crackdown is benefiting restaurants. Many small, family-run businesses now face an uncertain future, with owners unsure when they can reopen.
