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    • Introducing the partnership with the Race and Justice reporting Initiative
    • Resources
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    DCFC Community Benefits Process Kicks Off in Mexicantown

    DCFC Community Benefits Process Kicks Off in Mexicantown

    Trump’s downfall: Fascist capitalism will do him in

    Trump’s downfall: Fascist capitalism will do him in

    Mayan Kaqchikel

    Mayan Kaqchikel

    “SWFest” to Showcase Local Sound for Fifth Year at Senate Theater

    “SWFest” to Showcase Local Sound for Fifth Year at Senate Theater

    Senator Slotkin Delivers Federal Honor to CHASS as Funding Fights Loom

    Senator Slotkin Delivers Federal Honor to CHASS as Funding Fights Loom

    Why Trump will fail

    Why Trump will fail

    Pueblo Yumano

    Pueblo Yumano

    A Forever Home for Detroit City FC

    A Forever Home for Detroit City FC

    Centros de ayuda parroquiales enfrentan mayores costos por recortes federales a bancos de alimentos

    Centros de ayuda parroquiales enfrentan mayores costos por recortes federales a bancos de alimentos

  • Community
    DCFC Community Benefits Process Kicks Off in Mexicantown

    DCFC Community Benefits Process Kicks Off in Mexicantown

    Metro Detroit Youth Find Their Voice in Summer Writing and Photography Camp

    Metro Detroit Youth Find Their Voice in Summer Writing and Photography Camp

    UNI Launches Youth Development Practitioner Apprenticeship

    UNI Launches Youth Development Practitioner Apprenticeship

    Ballot drive to end utility political contributions clears state canvassers

    Ballot drive to end utility political contributions clears state canvassers

    Detroit’s EasyPay Payment Plan Enrolls More than 30,000 residents protected from service interruption

    Detroit’s EasyPay Payment Plan Enrolls More than 30,000 residents protected from service interruption

    “SWFest” to Showcase Local Sound for Fifth Year at Senate Theater

    “SWFest” to Showcase Local Sound for Fifth Year at Senate Theater

    Senator Slotkin Delivers Federal Honor to CHASS as Funding Fights Loom

    Senator Slotkin Delivers Federal Honor to CHASS as Funding Fights Loom

    Movies Under the Stars Season Concludes Friday in Detroit at Historic Fort Wayne

    Movies Under the Stars Season Concludes Friday in Detroit at Historic Fort Wayne

    LIBRE–Michigan Hosted A Back-to-School Giveaway to Empower Latino Families

    LIBRE–Michigan Hosted A Back-to-School Giveaway to Empower Latino Families

  • Featured
    DCFC Community Benefits Process Kicks Off in Mexicantown

    DCFC Community Benefits Process Kicks Off in Mexicantown

    “SWFest” to Showcase Local Sound for Fifth Year at Senate Theater

    “SWFest” to Showcase Local Sound for Fifth Year at Senate Theater

    Senator Slotkin Delivers Federal Honor to CHASS as Funding Fights Loom

    Senator Slotkin Delivers Federal Honor to CHASS as Funding Fights Loom

    A Forever Home for Detroit City FC

    A Forever Home for Detroit City FC

    CHASS Center Honored with Spirit of Detroit Award in Honor of 55 Years of Community Health, Dignity, and Hope

    CHASS Center Honored with Spirit of Detroit Award in Honor of 55 Years of Community Health, Dignity, and Hope

    Gutierrez and cousin Jacob Lozano

    Donut Villa Expands to Second Location Near Ford Rouge Plant

    Candidates Face the People: Southwest Detroit Hosts Powerful Mayoral Forum on Community Priorities

    Candidates Face the People: Southwest Detroit Hosts Powerful Mayoral Forum on Community Priorities

    Fr. David Buersmeyer y Mrs. Judith Brooks de Strangers No Longer / hablan a los participantes de la procesión frente a la oficina de campo de ICE en Detroit / address procession participants in front of the field office of ICE in Detroit. Foto de/Photo by Valaurian Waller | Detroit Catholic

    Detroit Catholics Walk in Solidarity with Immigrants, Demand Humane Treatment

    Linzie and Jesse Venegas of Ideal Group Recognized as Entrepreneurs Of The Year 2025

    Linzie and Jesse Venegas of Ideal Group Recognized as Entrepreneurs Of The Year 2025

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    Festivalgoers enjoying the photobooth.

    SWFest: Celebrating Five Years of Creativity and Community

    Mayan Kaqchikel

    Mayan Kaqchikel

    “SWFest” to Showcase Local Sound for Fifth Year at Senate Theater

    “SWFest” to Showcase Local Sound for Fifth Year at Senate Theater

    Pages Bookshop to Host Book Launch and Community Roundtable

    Pages Bookshop to Host Book Launch and Community Roundtable

    Pueblo Yumano

    Pueblo Yumano

    Learning about Art from a Master

    Learning about Art from a Master

    Huastecos Téenek

    Huastecos Téenek

    2025 Kresge Fellows from left-right: Elise Marie Martin, Taurus Burns, Louis Aguilar, Maya Davis, Kimberly LaVonne, Slumdog Visionaire, Marwa Helal, Donald Calloway, Brittany Rogers, Beenish Ahmed, Ivan Montoya, April Anue Shipp, Allana Clarke, Malak Cherri, Anetria Cole. Photo credit: JennyRisher

    Latino Creatives Shine as 2025 Kresge Fellows, Honoring Heritage and Artistic Power

    Tzotziles / BatsiI Winik’Otik

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SW Detroit businesses struggle as immigration anxieties keep people home

Some are adjusting with home delivery, might reduce staff

Martina Guzman by Martina Guzman
February 7, 2025
in Community, Local Small Business
Reading Time: 3 mins read
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Drive down Springwells Street in Southwest Detroit, and you’ll usually find a bustling main street dotted with dozens of Mexican and Latino-owned businesses. But on a recent weeknight, the barbershops, nail salons, restaurants, tiendas and bakeries — typically buzzing with life after long days of work and school — felt eerily empty. 

Threats of aggressive immigration enforcement, a signature promise of President Donald Trump’s administration, have cast a shadow over this predominately immigrant community. Many families are afraid to leave their homes, and businesses are struggling as customers disappear.

Sheila’s Bakery is typically one of the busiest businesses on Springwells. Every morning and evening, Latinos line up to get pan dulce and freshly baked bolillo, a bread that is to Mexicans what French bread is to the French. The custom of going to the panadería is a deeply ingrained cultural tradition. But on this night, workers nearly outnumbered customers. 

Standing by the cash register, manager Ivana Garcia shook her head. “Our clientele has decreased by 75% since all of this started. At this hour, we usually have about 50 customers waiting to pay. Tonight, we have about 10. Look around, it’s empty,” she said. 

While there have been individual arrests, there’s no evidence of widespread immigration raids in Detroit since Trump’s inauguration on Jan. 20. But anxiety runs high in this tight-knit community as reports of increased immigration patrols and arrests spread like wildfire. 

“People are really afraid,” Garcia said. 

Over the past week, she’s watched more bread go unsold at the end of each night. 

“About 20% of the bread is left over, and that’s a loss,” Garcia said. “The only way to avoid a loss is to bake less bread, but in producing less bread, we need fewer bakers.” 

Down the street, La Posada — a homestyle eatery where workers gather after long days of labor — also sits empty. The restaurant typically experiences a slowdown during the winter, when landscaping and cement work pause. Juan Romo, who helps run the family business, said this year’s decline feels especially drastic. 

“A large percentage of our regular customers are undocumented workers, and they’re not coming near here due to fear,” Romo said. “Right now, it’s low season for everyone, but this has been a very hard blow.” 

Southwest Detroit is home to about 1,500 small businesses, according to the Southwest Detroit Business Association (SDBA). Latinos play a vital role in Michigan’s economy, not only as entrepreneurs but also as a growing segment of the workforce. The Michigan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce recognizes Latinos as one of the state’s fastest-growing demographic groups, driving economic growth. 

“A significant drop in customers could be devastating to a small business,” said Laura Chavez, president of the SDBA. “Some of the local businesses are having to pivot to provide services to the community.” 

RediMed Pharmacy on West Vernor Highway is one of them. For the past week, Chavez said pharmacists have been filling prescriptions, but few customers have come to pick them up. Fear has kept people inside their homes, Chavez said, prompting the pharmacy to offer home delivery to ensure patients receive their medications. 

At Express Barber Shop on Springwells, rows of empty chairs replaced the usual Friday night rush. Customers once eager for fresh haircuts before the weekend are now silent. 

In the back, former barber Andres Garcia stopped by to check in on his colleagues and offer support. 

“People are afraid to leave their houses, and it’s understandable,” Garcia said. “These arrests are tearing families apart.” 

Cover Image Caption: Some Southwest Detroit businesses said they’ve seen fewer customers since
President Donald Trump’s inauguration. Commercial corridors like West
Vernor Highway have many Latino-owned businesses.
Photo credit: Cydni Elledge/Outlier Media

Tags: latinossmall businesssmall businessesSouthwest Detroit
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