Ice Raids Impacting La Latino Street Food Vendors

Instagram customer Arnie Abramyan, @arnieabramyan, posted a video on June 11 of a deserted taco stand on Foothill Blvd in Tujunga, across the street from the In-N-Out Hamburger. In the video clip, Abramyan declares that ICE had robbed the stand and that its workers had actually been detained.

Muscoy is a semi-rural community located around 60 miles east of Downtown Los Angeles with 88 percent Latino residents, according to the 2022 demographics. A number of the homes supply enough room, some featuring little farms and equine stables. The roadsides, lots, and personal homes organize a selection of Mexican food experts in a sleepy rancho that looks like it was carved out a Mexican countryside, however rather in San Bernardino County.

Community Fear and Economic Impact

Every one of the enforcement activity has caused a substantial economic and emotional toll on taqueros, their employees, and clients. “I’m unfortunate, I’m frightened, and it’s simply been a rollercoaster seeing all these video clips of kidnappings; it’s damaging my heart,” claims Rocio. With no end visible to the ICE raids, there is no telling the length of time this will certainly affect greater Los Angeles’s Latino area.

Businesses Adapt Amidst Uncertainty

Michelin Bib Connoisseur Mariscos Jalisco, commemorated for its crispy taco de camarón bathed in an appetizing tomato salsa, has actually made adjustments to secure its team and consumers. “We are doing the very best we can with restricted team because we’ve asked some of them to stay home,” claims proprietor Raul Ortega, “The dining room is closed, too, since ICE can just go any place they please without asking.” Dining establishments can mark personal rooms to keep ICE from detaining staff members, however, opening up the dining-room at Mariscos Jalisco endangers the safety of customers that might be undocumented.

Vendors Forced to Close

On Papa’s Day, June 15, Tacos de Cabrito y Machito El Lagunero, a street food operation offering conventional spit-roasted youngster from Mexico’s Comarca Lagunera area, was forced to close in spite of plans to commemorate its 3rd wedding anniversary. The roads of Muscoy were empty because of ongoing, unprecedented mass deportation raids established by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), focused in Los Angeles, a refuge city, and surrounding communities that are also a protected jurisdiction in the shelter state of The golden state.

Across social media, video clips reveal family members apart and next-door neighbors shrieking and sobbing as ICE officers arrest undocumented immigrants throughout Los Angeles. LOS ANGELES, THE GOLDEN STATE – JUNE 14: A road supplier offers food during continuous protests on June 14, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. Protesters held an anti-Trump “No Kings Day” demonstration in midtown Los Angeles which has actually been the emphasis of protests against Trump’s migration raids. Ambiance Clothing, where the ICE raids started in Los Angeles, is appropriate around the corner from the truck. With no end in sight to the ICE raids, there is no informing just how long this will certainly affect better Los Angeles’s Latino neighborhood.

Across social networks, video clips show households apart and neighbors sobbing and screaming as ICE officers jail undocumented immigrants throughout Los Angeles. These scenes have actually filled the Latino community with terror, misery, and helplessness. Over Dad’s Day weekend, the methods and roads flanking the 110 Freeway in South Central that are commonly lively with brilliantly wrapped food trucks and hanging lights strewn above searing planchas have been emptied out. Tacos Los Güichos, Eater LA’s pick for best al pastor area and a pillar on Slauson Opportunity considering that 1974, has actually vanished. This part of the city merely does not look the very same without its street food vendors.

Personal Stories of Deportation

Due to the raids, Tacos de Cabrito y Machito El Lagunero’s owners Francisco Salinas and Vanessa Sánchez tell Eater the company had a lower-than-expected turnout on Sunday, June 8, so they decided to close on Dad’s Day up until things cooled down. That exact same day, another Muscoy supplier, Juan Flores of Ceviche Hot Area, recognized locally for ceviche-topped michelada mugs and aguachiles of shrimp, was purportedly apprehended and deported. “Last Monday, they got him coming out of his house, and he was deported to Tijuana that exact same day,” says Salinas, that got a message from Flores on WhatsApp asking for support for his family members that stay in The golden state.

“I have enough money to perhaps last 3 or 4 months, which’s it,” says Salinas. “Then we will need to see what takes place. Muscoy was a safe place for us. Today, with all this, maybe it’s not worth it to be in America any longer.”

Several vendors have chosen to close to keep consumers and workers safe. On Instagram, Los Sabrosos Al Horno proprietor David Delfin wrote that the stand would shut till additional notice. Popular birria supplier Birria El Jaliciense published on June 13 that they would be shutting up until further notice, thanking their consumers for their understanding and reminding them to take care.

LOS ANGELES, THE GOLDEN STATE – JUNE 14: A street supplier sells food during ongoing demonstrations on June 14, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. Militants held an anti-Trump “No Kings Day” demo in downtown Los Angeles which has been the emphasis of objections versus Trump’s immigration raids. Marches and protests versus the Trump administration and its policies are taking place throughout the United States today. Protesters are likewise reacting in opposition to a planned military parade commemorating the 250th anniversary of the united state Military in Washington, DC, coinciding with President Trump’s birthday celebration. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Photos) Getty Pictures

The Mariscos Jalisco vehicle in Downtown LA’s Fashion Area that Rocio Ortega and one other chef run stays shut for the time being. Ortega reached the vehicle around 10 a.m. on June 6 and saw a group collecting around FBI agents. Setting Clothing, where the ICE raids began in Los Angeles, is best nearby from the truck. “I didn’t recognize what was taking place so I began to tape-record video clip, and then the worker collaborating with me saw a team of people with Cops HSI on their [bulletproof] vests,” claims Rocio. Mariscos Jalisco now operates its Boyle Heights and Mid-City trucks with a skeletal system crew, while the Pomona place opens up or shuts depending on if they have sufficient staff to function a certain shift, which has actually not been a particular procedure. “In the meantime we are just taking it day by day to see which areas we can open, however it’s laborious running our business without [enough] staff,” states Rocio.