'Worse than COVID': LA businesses turn into 'ghost towns' due to ICE raids

Federal immigration raids are hurting some businesses in Los Angeles worse than the COVID-19 pandemic, local business owners told Reuters.

One fruit vendor told the wire service that his daily earnings have declined from $2,000 to roughly $300 because of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids. A restaurant owner said his weekly earnings have declined by about $7,000.

"This is really hurting everybody's business," he said. "It's terrible. It's worse than COVID."

A hot dog vendor added that it has been "psychologically exhausting" to find places to work since the immigration raids began.

The Trump administration has conducted immigration enforcement operations under the auspices of removing violent criminals from the country. However, that mandate has shifted focus to include workplace raids at businesses across the country.

Last week, border czar Tom Homan said ICE would "massively expand" its workplace raids. The move received widespread backlash from business owners, immigration advocates, and lawyers alike.

Trump had said his administration would pause immigration enforcement at businesses that rely on immigrant labor, like restaurants, hotels, and farms. His administration swiftly changed course the following day as the Department of Homeland Security told staff to resume enforcement activities.

ICE raids have been especially impactful in cities like LA, where about 40% of the city's entrepreneurs are foreign-born, according to the American Immigration Council.

"It's pretty much a ghost town," Juan Ibarra, a fresh fruit vendor in LA, told Reuters. "It's almost COVID-like. People are scared. We can only last so long like this - a couple of months maybe."