PITTSBURGH — A shocking message was put on the front door of a Latino-owned grocery store this morning, asking immigrants to leave and claiming that immigration officers have been called. The business owner says the note highlights why their doors were shut in the first place.
Las Palmas grocery store in Beechvie was one of more than 60 businesses that closed their doors on Monday in a show of solidarity when a note that read “all illegal immigrants please leave Beechview. We have contacted ICE and Border Patrol” appeared.
The owner says the note on the building only further highlights why the strike is so important, to educate people that not every immigrant is here illegally and to show that many make significant contributions to the U.S. economy.
“A lot of the places where the businesses are now were empty storefronts,” Missy Berumen said.
According to the Pittsburgh Hispanic Development Corporation, since 2018 more than 185 Latino-owned businesses have opened in Pittsburgh. On Broadway Avenue in Beechview, a Latino-owned business has opened every year.
But on Monday, shop after shop was closed. The businesses and their employees are recognizing “a day without immigrants,” which is a national strike that some believe may have a huge economic impact.
“I think economically you could be talking about millions,” said Guillermo Velaquez, the executive director of the Pittsburgh Hispanic Development Corporation.
Latino-owned businesses in the Pittsburgh region are diverse - from the restaurant and food industry to the construction and service industry.
The goal of the strike is to show how essential these businesses and immigrants are to the U.S. economy.
“I think the message is that we are a diverse community, diverse city, region, county, state,” Velaquez said. “The people that complain that there are too many Hispanic businesses feel free to open your own as well We need the diversity. We need to keep the neighborhood vibrant”
The strike also discouraged immigrants from spending any money or going to school or work.
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