LAFAYETTE PARISH — Businesses across the U.S., including in Acadiana, participated in the "Day Without Immigrants" movement to protest increasing crackdowns on undocumented immigrants under President Donald Trump.
On Monday, La Morenita on Ambassador Caffery closed its doors in support of the movement, demonstrating the significant impact immigrant communities have on the local economy.
Raul Avilez, who has been in business for more than 20 years, says immigrants are a crucial part of Acadiana’s economy.
"What we are trying to do is put together both cultures," said Avilez.
Avilez says he imports goods, employs workers, and partners with transportation companies to deliver groceries—contributions that are vital to the region’s economic health.
Immigrants play a major role in the U.S. workforce. A 2023 report from the Council on Foreign Relations found that foreign-born individuals make up 19% of the U.S. workforce and immigrants are behind 55% of all U.S. startups.
Tala Voosoghi, an immigration attorney at Tala Immigration Law, notes that migrant workers are essential to local industries such as agriculture, fisheries, landscaping, and construction.
“We are seeing employers in farming, agriculture, hospitality, landscaping, construction, architect, food service, sea food, the crawfish industry- those are areas where employers here have to bring in workers.” Voosoghi said.
Voosoghi adds that many of these workers, including some of her clients, are in the U.S. legally through work visas, temporary protected status, asylum, or parole programs. However, there’s growing fear about how President Trump’s executive orders could affect their futures.
"People are panicking. A lot of families are not sending their children to school from what we're hearing, if they're undocumented or they're not sure if ICE is going to show up at their work site so they're not going to work."
Business owners are also concerned. “A lot of employers are calling with concerns,” Voosoghi says. “They want to help their employees legalize their status and secure green cards, but they don’t always know how to navigate the process.
The Trump administration has focused on deporting undocumented immigrants with criminal records or existing deportation orders, citing concerns over border security and drug trafficking.
But Voosoghi warns that both legal and undocumented immigrants are caught in the crossfire of the escalating enforcement policies.
"Day Without Migrants" was first observed in 2017 during President Trump's first term in office in response to plans to deport undocumented migrants.
