American immigration police raids raises concerns of workers and restaurants in Texas

Oscar Garcia Santilla, a restaurant owner in Texas, was fed up with the extensive raids carried out by the Immigration Police, after this caused his employee’s fear of attending to work, and his customers are required.

President Donald Trump has adopted strict measures regarding irregular migration, and a corner stone has become in his policy, and these steps are widely supported by the population in this conservative state in the southern United States.

Oscar Garcia Santilla, 54, from Mexico, owns a chain of restaurants in Texas, and his restaurant is presented by Los Primus, located in Houston, “Taco” and “Casadia”, which are two common dishs in the city and other American regions.

The Latin America’s descendants represent 40% of the population of this state, according to the latest official census, and their activities contribute to supporting the economy in a large way.

Since Trump returned to power, in January, the Federal Immigration Police intensified the arrests of irregular migrants across the country, and a month ago, a residential complex was raided near Garcia Santilah Restaurant, and explained that the raids lasted for a week, adding: “During this week, the week preceded, we did not originate anything, it was very bad, because people were afraid.”

He explained: “I called us an employee to inform us that she could not come to work, because the Immigration Police came and took one of her cousins, and this affects us directly.” The restaurant owner indicated that this situation is widespread, and added: “This affects all parts of the United States, I have friends in several cities who have restaurants, and I speak with them,” appreciating that his revenues decreased by 40%.

The Texas Restaurants Association indicated that 23% of them lost employees in the second quarter, while 21% confirmed that it had received less employment requests, and 16% of it lost its customers.

In 2022, at least 11 million immigrants were living in the United States, according to official statistics, and the NGO organization estimated that their number is currently approximately 14 million.

Irregular immigrants paid about 97 billion dollars in taxes during 2022, according to the “American for tax justice”.

“We are the largest employment authority in the state that is experiencing rapid industrial and real estate growth,” said the Texas Restaurants Association, Keelsey Ericsson Struvent, adding: “We lack employees in restaurants, farms, meat can meat, and in the entire food chain, and the result is that the Americans are paying much more expensive the price of their food.”

The Association of Restaurants joined the representatives of the other sector to demand Trump to “apply exactly what it suggested, that is, the issuance of temporary work permits for the long and reliable migrants who have been in the spokeswoman.

She added, “We are not talking about an amnesty or (granting an adjective) citizen, but rather about the possibility of occupying a vacant job, paying taxes, and compliance with the law.”

Garcia praises the integrity of migrant workers, explaining: “I guarantee that 95% of the people I met in the restaurant sector are respected and diligent,” noting that they only leave their homes to go to work.