Rochester, MN Business Calls on Leaders to Act After ICE Presence Raises Alarm

This week has felt like deja vu.  Pieces of 2020 have resurfaced as Minnesota is once again thrown into the spotlight due to ICE and the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good .  As videos continue to get posted to social media, the level of hate in the comments isn't just vile, it is heartbreaking to think that this is America - "The land of the free".

While Rochester may be physically distant from what happened in Minneapolis with ICE on Wednesday, our community is also feeling the impact.

READ MORE: Rochester Police Address ICE Presence, Potential Protests

Earlier this morning, when it was reported that ICE was in the Med City and people were posting photos of arrests being made near KIMT TV and Kwik Trip, one Rochester business stepped up and asked for help.

Open Letter From A Rochester, Minnesota Business To Local Authorities

The last few months, I have had several conversations with individuals who are part of the Latino culture in Rochester. The letter below may be from one specific Latino-owned business in town, but I have heard many of these same statements and words from others.

On Thursday, January 8th, the following note was shared on the Tortillas La Mayzteca Facebook page:

Open Letter to the Local Authorities of Rochester, MN
As a local Latino-owned business in Rochester, we would like to respectfully express a real concern that is currently affecting not only our businesses, but also the economic stability of our city.

 

Over the past few weeks, many Latino-owned businesses have experienced a significant decline in sales in some cases close to 60% not because of a lack of customers, quality, or service, but because a significant portion of our community is currently afraid to leave their homes due to the perceived environment surrounding federal immigration policies.

 

Our businesses:
Operate legally
Pay taxes
Create local jobs
And serve the entire city, while historically serving a Hispanic community that has been an important pillar of the local economy.

 

For this reason, we respectfully call on our local authorities to:
• Acknowledge that this situation is happening
• Formally document it
• Listen to the Latino-owned businesses affected
• And evaluate what local actions can be taken to protect the economic and social stability of this part of Rochester

 

We are not asking for special treatment.
We are asking to be seen, to be heard, and to be included.

 

Rochester is a city built by many hands. Latino hands are an essential part of that foundation.

 

With respect and hope for dialogue,
La Mayzteca