Small businesses across Minneapolis are struggling amid Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown. Fear of being swept up in mass deportation raids has caused employees and customers across the city to stay home.
MS NOW reporter Nnamdi Egwuonwu spoke to local officials and business owners on the ground in Minneapolis and shared their experiences with Stephanie Ruhle on Thursday’s “The 11th Hour.”
“So many business owners I’ve talked to over the last several months being here say they barely are [staying afloat],” Egwuonwu told Ruhle. “There’s a widespread struggle taking place in the Twin City.”
Egwuonwu said that a fear — among both immigrants and U.S. citizens — of encountering Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents has resulted in less foot traffic across the city. “There’s concern among employees, particularly Somali employees, Hispanic employees, that if they try to go to work, they may find themselves caught up in the crosshairs,” he said.
Although immigrant-run businesses have been hit the hardest, Egwuonwu said,“it’s also impacting non-immigrant-run businesses.”
Data from the city of St. Paul showed that business across the board was down between 60 % and 70%. In Minneapolis, a survey of 500 businesses by the city’s tourism board found 80% said they were suffering from reduced sales.
Community members were particularly concerned about how the ongoing federal presence could affect the health care sector, Egwuonwu told Ruhle.








