SOUTH OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) – "We have had to lay off workers, reduce hours for our workers, we have done as much as possible to still sustain this business," Eusebia Bustamante, owner of Tixteco Mexican Restaurant said.
- South Omaha business are continuing to struggle three months after the federal raid.
- Businesses, like Tixteco Mexican Restaurant, had to make tough choices to keep the doors open.
- "We are small business owners and it is a family effort to keep this business going."
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Three months after a federal immigration raid at Glen Valley Foods, South Omaha businesses continue to face significant economic challenges as fear keeps customers away from the community.
Eusebia Bustamante, owner of Tixteco Mexican Restaurant on South 16th Street, has watched her sales plummet since the June raid.
"Our sales have gone down, there is no economic activity at this point," Bustamante said through an interpreter.
The restaurant, which serves traditional Mexican food using original recipes, has been forced to make difficult decisions to survive.
"We have had to lay off workers, reduce hours for our workers, we have done as much as possible to still sustain this business but we are very concerned we do not have any sales,"Eusebia Bustamante, owner of Tixteco Mexican Restaurant said.
Saul Lopez, deputy state director for LULAC Nebraska, said fear is driving the economic downturn in the community. He described South 24th Street as resembling a ghost town compared to before the raids.
"Fear is what you can feel in the environment, business owners have a lot of fear, customers have fear that when they will go out they will be stopped at some point," Lopez said.
Despite the challenges, Bustamante remains committed to keeping her family business open.
"We are small business owners and it is a family effort to keep this business going," she said.
Lopez said he hopes to see the community come together to support South Omaha as it continues to recover from the economic impact of the immigration enforcement actions.
