The Trump administration’s immigration policies have taken a toll on Washington D.C.’s restaurants scene, with many owners struggling to keep their businesses afloat.
Hernán, co-owner of a Latin American restaurant in northwest Washington D.C., was forced to close his doors after staff members received phone calls and messages about Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) checkpoints in the neighborhood.
“Literally after President Trump brought the national guard on DC, everything stopped,” Hernán said, requesting anonymity due to fears of ICE retaliation.
“Everything disappeared because the bike delivery guys, they’re scared. They’re not on the streets right now. My people, most of my cooks are Spanish[-speaking] and they don’t want to go to DC right now.”
The restaurant industry in D.C. is facing unprecedented challenges, with many employees, both documented and undocumented, fearful of coming to work.
According to a chef who worked with detained family members, immigration agents have specifically targeted food delivery drivers, many of whom are South American. “I would say our delivery has gone down by about 60 percent,” said Tea Ivanovic, co-founder of Immigrant Food with locations near the White House and in Ballston.
Ivanovic’s staff are wary of venturing into the city, despite the restaurant’s efforts to ensure proper documentation. “They’re afraid of racial profiling,” Ivanovic said. “They’re afraid of being stopped when they walk in.”
Restaurant owners are caught in the middle, struggling to maintain their businesses while ensuring the safety of their employees. One restaurateur notes that the fear is pervasive even among employees with legal status.
“Nobody wants to spend a night in jail while your family struggles to show immigration authorities that you have the paperwork,” she said.
To cope with the situation, some restaurant staff have taken matters into their own hands, walking colleagues to the Metro, calling Ubers, and working together to find legal resources.
The Trump administration’s crackdown on immigration has resulted in over 300 arrests in D.C. since August 7, leaving restaurant owners like Hernán uncertain about the future.
While Hernán hopes to reopen his restaurant when the Trump administration’s takeover of the D.C. police ends and immigration enforcement arrests become less frequent, the outlook remains bleak. “I don’t think it’s a restaurant operator’s job to be immigration police,” one restaurateur said, highlighting the challenges faced by small and independent restaurants in D.C.
The situation is further complicated by the fact that many restaurant employees are immigrants themselves, who are now living in fear of deportation.
A chef, who also requested anonymity, started a WhatsApp group to ensure everyone’s safety amid the immigration crackdown.
The group quickly ballooned to almost 700 people, with members sharing intel on checkpoints and sightings of ICE. “I’m very concerned. I’m stressed. I’m panicked sometimes,” the chef said, highlighting the emotional toll of the situation.
As the restaurant industry in D.C. continues to struggle, owners and employees alike are calling for a resolution to the immigration crisis.
Until then, many restaurants will remain closed, and the livelihoods of thousands of employees will hang in the balance. The future of D.C.’s restaurant scene remains uncertain, as it grapples with the impact of Trump’s immigration policies.