Tuesday’s presence of federal immigration agents in the Triangle prompted some North Carolina businesses to change how they do business for the day.
Some businesses were closed Tuesday.
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Others made adjustments. For example, the La Tapatia Supermarket on 1700 St Albans Drive in Raleigh offered customers orders for delivery. Normally, the market does not offer delivery service.
La Tapatia owners said it’s necessary while many members of the Hispanic community fear for their safety.
“It’s been pretty slow lately,” said Antonio Gabriel Campos, who is the son of the La Tapatia owners. “A lot of people are scared to go out of their homes.”
Campos said their customers feel like targets right now, even those who have proper documentation and are in the country legally. He said the market offering delivery on Tuesday is their way of showing support. He said they had fulfilled about 15 orders as of Tuesday afternoon.
“It’s not something that’s super profitable because … the gas, the miles on the car, all that, and some of these deliveries are a little bit far away, but it’s the best we do for our community,” Campos said.
Campos said the store’s delivery charge is free unless the drive is very far from the store.
Steven Perry, who owns the contracting company Perry’s Grading, said he had two employees tell him they weren’t going to work on Tuesday.
“I asked if there was [a] sickness in the family,” Perry said. “They said, ‘No, we are worried about deportation.’”
Perry said workers calling out has caused his company to fall behind schedule.
“We have other jobs coming up that I can’t get to,” Perry said.
Perry said he’s looking for other workers.
“I know they have legal status, but the fear of being detained until that is proven is what scares them the most,” Perry said. “They don’t want to be without their family for who knows how long until it’s determined that they are legal and they can stay.”
On Tuesday, Compare Foods of Clayton was offering free curbside pickup and delivery.
El Rodeo restaurant in downtown Raleigh was closed on Tuesday. A sign on the door said the closure was due to “maintenance issues.”
The Mediterranean restaurant chain Jasmin & Olivz posted on Instagram that some of its locations could have adjusted hours or closures.