United States:
When armed immigration agents made a surprise visit earlier this month to Pupatella, a trendy pizzeria in the Dupont district of the American capital, they may not have made any arrests, but they have delivered a clear message.
The show of Force, part of an “improved operation” through the hardline administration of President Donald Trump, has had wrinkle effects through an industry that depends on immigrant work, owners and others in the sector.
The agents asked for eligible forms that are known as i-9s, said Natasha Neely, vice-president of Pupatella, who has various locations in the Washington region.
“They had no order and they had no form of paperwork, so they were rejected,” she said AFP.
A few hours later, agents showed up on Pupatella's Capitol Hill location, this time with an 'inspection', Neely said. The manager referred them to the restaurant's head office.
The agency for immigration and customs enforcement (ICE) said that it had arrested 189 migrants without papers after handing out 187 such notifications in the Washington area between May 6 and May 9.
In a press release it described the activity as an “improved targeted immigration enforcement operation aimed at criminal alien perpetrators.”
Although the inspection tools are not unusual, Neely said, they are normally delivered by e-mail because of their administrative nature.
“We have never experienced anything like that,” she said, and expressed confusion about why the restaurant was the target.
Crackdown Fear
Trump has made immigrants without papers an important priority for his second term, after successfully campaigning against an alleged “invasion” by criminals.
Until now, his administration has deported tens of thousands of migrants, with American courts hearing cases about accusations that the government has violated the correct process in certain cases.
Migrants without papers are 'the backbone of our industry. From top to bottom, “Shawn Townsend, president of the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington (RAMW), told AFP.
In addition to the restaurant industry, immigrant work plays a crucial role in many sectors of the economy, including agriculture and construction.
Before Trump's inauguration in January, RAMW knew the enforcement of immigration “would be a priority of the incoming administration, and so we kept our first I-9 training workshop,” said Townsend.
A restaurant owner, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said he felt threatened when immigration agents recently visited his establishment.
“I'm going to see what the consequences are. In short, I don't know if they're fining me or trying to put me in prison,” he said.
Labor effects
According to a survey by the Littler Mendelson law firm, 58 percent of managers said they were concerned about Trump's anti-immigration policy.
The sectors of the production and hospitality were the most involved.
Since his restaurant was visited, the owner who asked for anonymity said: “Everyone who had questions about his eligible to work has left.”
“They were advised by proponents … to actually just lie low, not to get to work.”
Townsend said that the “political climate” and economic challenges with which small companies are confronted were probably in combination to increase anxiety at restaurant employees.
Increased enforcement of immigration, such as during Trump's first term of office, “creates a scenario in which (staff) is not allowed to go back to work,” he said.
Neely said that employees were shocked by the surprise ice cream visit, but that the restaurant took steps to tackle the situation.
“We have ensured that all managers know what the rights of the restaurants are and what the rights of each team member are,” she said.
Nevertheless, the raids have a horrifying effect.
“Let's face it, if someone appears at every location at a federal uniform with weapons and cardigans … that is nerve -racking.”
(Except for the headline, this story was not edited by Our staff and has been published from a syndicated feed.)
