ICE reportedly targeting businesses and restaurants in DC
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) reportedly carried out targeted raids on businesses in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday. This move sparked concern among activists who had warned delivery drivers and restaurants about the planned enforcement a day earlier.
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser expressed her distress over the reports, stating, “It appears that ICE is at restaurants or even in neighborhoods, and it doesn’t look like they’re targeting criminals. It is disrupting.” She clarified that the Metropolitan Police Department was not involved in these operations.
George Escobar, chief of programs and services at CASA, an organization working to improve the lives of working-class Americans, revealed that they had received specific tips about these raids, which set off alarms within the organization. CASA has been running a 24-hour tip hotline since the first Trump administration.
In this instance, ICE was said to be using President Donald Trump’s executive order focused on the “beautification” of Washington, D.C., as a pretext for the raids, according to Escobar. These operations were reported to target food businesses and delivery workers.
Despite reaching out to the Department of Homeland Security and ICE for comment, ABC News has not received a response on the matter. Activists and organizations like Migrant Solidarity Mutual Aid and the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington have expressed deep concern over the impact of these raids on immigrant workers and local businesses.
The Restaurant Association emphasized the significant contribution of immigrants to the local workforce, from dishwashers to executive chefs, highlighting their irreplaceable role in the restaurant industry. They stressed that disrupting staffing in restaurants could have a detrimental effect on the local economy, especially during a time when the economy is already fragile.
Overall, the enforcement actions by ICE in Washington, D.C., have raised questions about their tactics and the potential repercussions on both immigrant workers and the broader community. It underscores the ongoing debate surrounding immigration policies and their impact on businesses and livelihoods.
