Fear of arrest and deportation has hurt area businesses and kept immigrants, documented and undocumented, at home.
Wednesday, few people attended and even fewer dressed in their native clothing during what was to be a combined independence day celebration for people from Central America at the Crossroads Farmers Market in Takoma Park.
“We treat it as a super special day, but even that is not enough” to bring more shoppers to the farmers market on University Boulevard, said Program Manager Oma Marroquin.
Several people MCM spoke with said they didn’t know if Immigration and Customs Enforcement personnel were in the area, but they weren’t taking chances. If they did venture out to shop in area stores, they did it quickly and then returned home. Many people pointed out drop in the lack of community spirit with fewer people staying around to talk and eat lunch from the hot food venders.
“I have noticed a much lesser audience in the past few months,” said Emily Luyo of Priority Partners, an insurance company that gives its members $1 tokens to spend at the market. She used to give out 800 a month, and now she distributes 300, she said.
“I think the people are really scared. They don’t want to be separated from their family.”
Marroquin agreed, “There is the big fear of I.C.E. enforcement. It has affected us since the market opened (in April), but especially since the federal takeover of Washington, D.C. Many people don’t know where their enforcement begins and ends.”
He also has noticed a drop off since school began. During the summer, some families sent their children to the market with the family SNAP card rather than come themselves and risk being arrested, he said.
He estimated attendance was down 40 percent.
“I think it’s going to get worse. These last four weeks, I’ve seen it worsen,” said Marroquin, who has been with the market for two years.
As Kevin Tuckey of Tuckey’s Mountain Grown sold his fruits and vegetables, he lamented, “The crowd is not here.”
Rebecca from Good Dog Farm agreed, adding, “The whole market has been slower. It’s been noticeable.”
There has been “a severe drop off” since school started, according to Janet Rumble, the market’s deputy director, “People are staying away from the market because they are afraid. It’s not just Crossroads Farmers Market. They are just not out and about.”
It recently was back-to-school night at two area schools. “Nobody went,” Rumble said.
Rumble, like others at the market, are not sure if it is I.C.E. cruising the area. “We don’t really know, because they are all masked,” she said.
Luyo said she has been told they are not federal agents. “All you see is masked men” in black clothing.
“Luckily, we have not had any enforcement activity here at the market, but it has not changed the fear,” Rumble said. “We can’t really work against the bigger tide of fear, which is not misplaced.”
