How the repression of the deportation of Trump transformed the community of vibrant immigrants of DC into a ghost city

Usually, the streets of the animated neighborhood of Columbia Heights in Washington, DC, would be filled with Latinos shopping or working in local stores, street vendors and restaurants. But in recent times, the normally dynamic community is almost empty.

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

“People are really afraid of getting out,” said Fernanda Rivas, whose parents have two bakeries in the region. She says that the increase in law enforcement officials on the street has frightened many of its customers.

“This place is always busy with immigrants and all those who work here, and now we see a very big slowdown in customers coming simply because people are just afraid of coming here.”

The companies in his family have survived the pandemic, but now they are struggling again.

“People enter the bakery and apologize and say to me:” I’m sorry that we are not entered. It’s just, we are afraid to leave our homes and go to work and do anything “,” said Rivas.

The drop in buyers does not go unnoticed.

“Less crowds, fewer people, less energy,” said Damon Demyers a meat delivery driver. “I saw nothing like it.”

He says he has noticed a drastic drop in buyers in all the stores he delivers. And even if no one said specifically to him because of an increase in the police, Demeyers says “everyone knows what’s going on.“”

Look | Fear in the streets of Washington, DC, while the National Guard arrives:

“The residents are terrified”: Advocate reacts like patrols of the National Guard to DC | Hanomansing tonight

Donald Whitehead, Executive Director of the National Coalition for the Homeless, said the deployment of the National Guard to Washington, DC, `SAPER ” The work based on evidence that was done after US President Donald Trump announced on Monday that he would deploy custody and take control of the district police service, citing an emergency of crime in the region.

Deportations increase under Trump

The first day of Trump’s mandate in January, he signed an executive decree leader of immigration and customs agents (ICE) to execute the country’s immigration laws. He said there were 10 million illegal foreigners in the United States and said his administration aims to expel them all.

In May, Stephen Miller, the vice-chief of the White House, gave Ice a quota of 3,000 arrests per day, which they could not meet.

Last month, ice agents were seen in home deposits across the United States, seizing the workers of the day on the workplace. On August 12, the Ministry of Internal Security told Reuters that 185,000 people had been expelled from the United States in the second Trump administration.

“People do not come to work, in particular immigrant workers, who no doubt … are the backbone of our industry,” said Shawn Townsend, president and chief executive officer of the Association of Metropolitan Washington, DC restaurant, in an interview with CBC News.

Townsend says that most of these workers have legitimate documents to live and work in the United States, and yet they are still afraid of being expelled.

“There is an increased level of anxiety among immigrant workers, rightly,” he said. “And I think operators are trying to find ways to support them in the best possible way.”

Then there are people like Elizabeth and Adriana. They came illegally to America, but will always work every day because they cannot afford it. CBC News does not use their family names or identify their workplaces because women are likely to expel.

“I need money,” said Elizabeth, her work inside a local cuisine.

She has two children, but she didn’t take them to school this year because they are also afraid.

Elizabeth came to America from Salvador 20 years ago, but has no legal status to stay. Her children were born here, and she wants to ask for the residence but is too afraid to do it now. Especially after hearing about the ice that stopped people outside their immigration hearings.

Adriana works in a restaurant and a bar just at the bottom of the street. She came to America eight months ago from Guatemala. She also has no papers, but continues to go to work because she needs money.

“I want papers. I am good people, “said Adriana.” I also want to see my family again. “”

But she could not leave the United States because she will not be able to return.

Some Latinos now wear an identity document to prove citizenship

Jelver Mazeriegos was born in America and lives in Arlington, Virginia, in a hair salon in the Washington Columbia Heights district, he told CBC News that he now transported his identity document wherever he goes, and even takes his passport when he visits another city.

“I took my passport with me in Florida, just in case you know, maybe a kind of discrimination or something like that,,“Said Mazeeriegos.

Rivas, whose family has two bakeries, says that their parents came to America legally 20 years ago, but are also very nervous while going to their daily occupations.

“They have certainly encouraged us to always assure us that we have our identity card with us,” said Rivas. “They carry their passports and everything they have to identify themselves and prove that they are American citizens.”

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

“It is really difficult to see them feel frightened, even if they are legally here, but seeing my family even has the impression that it is a scary moment to be outside and be themselves,” said Rivas.