Brooklyn Haitian community on edge amid ICE raids
Since ICE began ramping up raids across New York City, including Brooklyn, many immigrants, some of whom have lived in the U.S. for decades, are now staying home.
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The streets of Brooklyn’s Little Haiti neighborhood are normally bustling with street vendors and foot traffic, but they are quieter than normal these days.
Local business owners say fewer people are out and about, and the fear of being caught in an Immigration and Customs Enforcement raid has caused a noticeable decline in customers.
Since ICE began ramping up raids across New York City, including Brooklyn, many immigrants, some of whom have lived in the U.S. for decades, are now staying home.
This fear is having a ripple effect. Business owners report fewer customers and community leaders, like pastors, say fewer people are showing up to church.
“Since they don’t have information, everyone is scared, everyone is hiding,” said Pierre Domingue, a local pastor. “We teach them, we help them, but it’s not enough.”
Many in the community are also grappling with misinformation.
"There's a lot of things going on and people do not have the right channels or the right guidance to actually let them know what's happening. And therefore, they're fearful," said Katia Belony, a local real estate broker.
Even those with legal protections, such as temporary protected status (TPS), are afraid to renew their status, fearing that doing so could alert ICE to their whereabouts.
Community leaders are working to provide information and resources to help people understand their rights.
