On Thursday, street vendors and business owners held a press conference in the Westlake neighborhood, where they called on state and county officials to help the community as it struggles due to the ICE raids.
Juan Rodriguez told KNX News’ Karen Adams that when ICE swept through MacArthur Park, it created an economic crisis.
“People are so afraid,” he told her. “They don't want to go out of the community. They don't want to walk in the street.”
He said the “community is in bankruptcy.”
“The crisis is growing now. It's not just here,” he said. “San Francisco is the same situation, the Central Valley. We went to Central Valley to visit the farm workers, and this is the same situation. Nobody's working. They don't have food. They don't have a way to pay their rent.”
Want to get caught up on what's happening in SoCal every weekday afternoon? Click to follow The L.A. Local wherever you get podcasts.
Rodriguez said that while the group has been working with Councilwoman Eunisses Hernandez, more help is needed.
“Another thing is that we are asking the office of Karen Bass to support the community because she is responsible for the feds,” he said. “She is responsible for the economy of the community.”
He told Adams that many people in the area are two months away from losing everything.
Follow KNX News 97.1 FM
Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | TikTok