North Carolina is home to close to one million immigrants, and the economic impacts of unlawful Border Patrol and ICE raids are evident as small businesses across the Triangle have closed for extended periods of time.
In the past few weeks, many employees have been fearful of coming into work due to the risk of being detained, as the presence of immigration enforcement has made it difficult for immigrant communities to go to work and participate in North Carolina’s economy.
“When families are too scared to leave their homes, when workers disappear from jobs, when businesses lose traffic, that tax base erodes. Our schools, roads, and health care systems, all of them feel the impact. This administration’s mass deportation campaign isn’t just chaotic or inhumane; it is economically devastating,” said Iliana Santillán, the founder and executive director of Brava NC.
Immigrants heavily contribute to North Carolina’s economy, and our industries depend heavily on immigrants to ensure that operations run smoothly.
According to 2022 data from the state’s Department of Commerce, immigrant workers comprise large portions of various industries in North Carolina, including construction (29%), accommodation and food services (18.3%), and manufacturing (17.2%). Between 2017 and 2022, Hispanic-owned businesses grew by 65% to close to 100,000.
In addition to evoking fear in immigrant North Carolinians, the harmful immigration raids are impacting multiple facets of North Carolina’s infrastructure as well. For example, the construction of Raleigh’s $260 million new city hall has been halted because of immigration enforcement activity. Many workers are reluctant to go to work on construction sites because of potential ICE presence.
“Safety is created by community members looking out for each other and standing up for each other, not by masked federal agents who are here to create chaos and bring fear,” said Nikki Marín Baena, co-director of Siembra NC.
Safety is of the utmost importance during these times, and we can work together to cultivate a safe environment for our fellow North Carolinians by staying vigilant and supporting one another. We must continue to fight for the North Carolina we all deserve.
According to the News & Observer, below is a short list of local immigrant-owned businesses and organizations that you can provide support for!
- Siembra NC is an organization that provides support and resources for the Latine community across North Carolina. Donations and volunteering opportunities can be found online at siembranc.org.
- Super Compare Foods is accepting online orders via WhatsApp for a limited time for customers to have items delivered free of charge.
- Chapel of Bones and Rumah are collecting items for solidarity supply drop-offs in the presence of immigration enforcement activity.
Additional organizations and businesses can be found here: Here’s a list of fundraisers & businesses supporting Triangle immigrants.
