HOMESTEAD, Fla. – At Michocana Paleteria, an ice cream shop in Homestead’s historic main street district, workers say business has been down since images of ICE raids swept the nation.
That’s because their customers are afraid and are staying home.
Jonathan Osbun is a local content creator and retired New York City firefighter.
“A lot of the local restaurants who are real busy on a Friday night were empty. It is concerning,” he said. “It affects everybody. These businesses are expensive to run and if nobody is there to patronize them, they are going to lose out.”
Osbun is the co-organizer of Friday’s 6 p.m. protest set to take place outside Homestead City Hall.
“Just trying to give people awareness,” he said.
For more information on Friday’s protest, visit their official Instagram page at Instagram.com/homesteadprotest.
He said he was at a demonstration outside City Hall on Monday.
Some of the local businesses, like Farmacia Mexicana, closed their doors Monday to show support.
Sam Accursio, of Sam Accursio and Son Farms explained, “Most growers out here only hire legal workers, so they are not seeing anyone at this time not showing up to work. Instead they are hearing from work force that they are choosing to no longer go out, staying home, quiet, afraid to be accidentally swept up in an immigration raid.”
Added Osbun: “They are helping us go into the fields, they are building our houses, they are building our infrastructures. I am an American and I feel for the people who are in this country trying to make a living, and help their family.”
Looking ahead to Friday, organizers stress the importance of it being a peaceful protest, to show support for the area’s migrant community.
They also urge anyone worried about ICE coming to have documentation proving citizenship with them.