‘Dramatic change.’ Downtown Pasco small businesses hit hard as customers fear ICE sweeps
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- Latino-owned businesses in Pasco report sharp revenue drops since June.
- Community fear of ICE enforcement deters shopping, events and public outings.
- Reduced consumer activity threatens sales tax revenue for city and county budgets.
Taking in the streets of downtown Pasco, you’ll see rows of Latino-owned businesses. But lately many are suffering, with owners reporting a months-long drop in revenue.
Latinos make up more than half, 57%, of the city’s population.
Business owners are accustomed to a steady flow of customers shopping for sparkly quinceañera dresses, furniture, soccer gear or a plate of tacos.
Tri-Cities Immigrant Coalition President Sonee Wilson said that social media and national news about raids and arrests by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is fueling fears in the local immigrant community.
ICE has already made one arrest in downtown Pasco, said Ana Ruiz Kennedy, community organizer and 2024 candidate for the Legislature. She said that ICE agents came to one downtown Pasco business to arrest someone. The person was not there, but another worker was detained instead.
Earlier this year, a Pasco father of three was arrested and detained and deported in June.
“That news spreads,” Ruiz Kennedy said. “And it’s affecting the economy in every aspect.”
Wilson said fear is also heightened by political divisions in the area. Some people are vocal about their contempt for immigrants, making brazen comments in public.
Wilson explained that some Tri-Cities immigrants are afraid to leave their homes, go to grocery stores, send their children to school or attend large public events.
The crackdown has also left other Latino community members concerned that they could be racially profiled. A recent U.S. Supreme Court decision cleared the way to allow ICE to target anyone who looks Latino, is speaking Spanish or working in a low-income job.
That also means that they aren’t spending money in local stores or at the Pasco Flea Market. Fear is having a real effect on local businesses who depend on regular customers, say some Latino leaders and store owners.
And that means less sales tax for city and county governments and schools.
Fewer customers, decreased spending
On a recent weekday afternoon, there wasn’t much foot traffic in downtown Pasco.
Marisa Valle chats on the phone behind a display case at her store, Todo Para Fútbol y Más, or “Everything for Soccer and More.” The store has been in business for 14 years.
She shares a wall with a party store called Todo Para Eventos, translated to “Everything for Events.”
There were no customers in either store.
Valle said in Spanish that her sales are down 40% since early June.
Usually, she serves customers coming from Mattawa and Othello who drive to Pasco to shop for soccer cleats, socks, jerseys and other gear.
But since the start of the summer, the number of regular customers has plummeted.
Early in the summer, customers would come in looking to buy gifts after celebrating their graduation or the end of the school year.
Or they would pick up a special jersey for a family member before traveling for the summer.
Now spending is down. Valle has a second store, also in downtown Pasco. It’s a similar situation there.
Ruiz Kennedy described that initially, the message from the federal government was that immigrants with criminal records would be detained and deported. But the recent history of arrests shows that people without a criminal record are also being targeted.
“Everyone is fearful,” Ruiz Kennedy said. “We’re seeing that ICE is picking up anyone who looks like an immigrant.”
Next door inside Todo Para Eventos, Manuel Campos watches YouTube videos of banda musicians on a worn gray loveseat in the center of the store.
The shop opened seven years ago. It’s filled with cake toppers, balloons, decorations, signs and party favors, all things for celebrations.
He rents out tables and chairs, organizes catering and sells items for birthdays, First Communion, Confirmation, quinceañeras and weddings.
Campos said that last summer, he would sometimes have up to three events booked in one day.
He said in Spanish that people just aren’t hosting large group events, which has affected his business. If anything, they are looking for rentals for smaller parties.
Campos believes people are fearful about immigration enforcement and don’t feel as carefree about leaving their homes, and hosting or attending social gatherings with family and friends.
‘Dramatic change’
Down the street at the Pasco Specialty Kitchen, Josue Trejo sits inside a food service window selling Mexican eats for lunch and dinner.
Trejo became a U.S. citizen five years ago after spending nearly 13 years working with an immigration attorney to gain permanent legal status.
For years, he worked in fruit orchards in Prosser. Now he employs a team of 14 people between two restaurant locations in Pasco and West Richland.
Trejo feels strongly about the importance of learning to speak English. Learning the language was a priority for him when he was working in agriculture.
He said that immigration fears are “affecting everything,” but that his businesses haven’t been hurt as much as others because most of his customers are not Hispanic.
Tri-Cities Immigrant Coalition
In early August, Carol Larkin and Ruiz Kennedy visited six businesses in downtown Pasco. Larkin is a member of the Tri-Cities Immigrant Coalition.
Ruiz Kennedy said there’s been a dramatic change for businesses.
Larkin shared that Gloria, a manager at a dress store, told her that at the beginning of Trump’s new term in January, there were no customers.
Gloria noticed shoppers returning in June. Now sales are down about 30%. She said that people are afraid to have social gatherings and are canceling special events.
She thought people may not want to spend money because they don’t know if they’ll be detained and need to leave the country.
At Vive Re Couture, Juanita Gallegos has been selling jewelry and formal dresses for eight years. She told Larkin that she has 75% less business compared to this time last year.
Gallegos knows of one business that closed in early July.
Employees also are feeling the strain.
At a café, revenue from January through May was down by half and there was a 70% decrease in June and July.
One worker said that she used to work full time, but has only worked three to four hours a day for the last two months.
Wilson said that while there is fear, people still need to work.
“At this point, they are working in fear,” Wilson said.
This story was originally published September 22, 2025 at 5:00 AM.
