West Phoenix shopping centers see decline in sales as ICE sightings increase

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A sharp drop in customer traffic has become the new normal at Valley shopping centers such as Mercado de los Cielos and Phoenix Marketplace, two key plazas for the Latino community in Phoenix. The reason: Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) sightings have sparked fear and kept usual customers from the shops.

Sales have dropped by up to 75%, according to representatives and merchants.

Arizona has been no exception to immigration raids.

According to the immigration detention tracking site, Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC), as of Aug. 4, more than 2,600 people are in detention, a consequence of what Mexican Consul General in Phoenix, Jorge Mendoza Yescas, told CALÓ News is a daily quota of 50 detentions that must be fulfilled in Arizona.

In Phoenix, the Latino community is the second-largest. According to the U.S. Census, over 2.3 million Latinos and Hispanics live in the area. And the American Immigration Council estimates that there are 286,900 undocumented immigrants residing in the state.

Since May, reports of raids have surfaced on social media across the Valley — from agents arresting people as they leave Phoenix Immigration Court in downtown to raids at particular Walmart and Home Depot stores.

Many of these cases were confirmed, but there have also been unverified reports. According to Jenifer Guillen, a representative of Phoenix Marketplace, it's these cases, which may or may not be true, that are driving people away from the shopping centers.

“Food has dropped a lot, about 40 percent, but I actually think it's more,” said Bertha Ventura, who sells Mexican crafts and baby clothes at Phoenix Marketplace, located at the corner of Thomas Road and 67th Avenue.

She said some vendors report they can't afford the rent, so they have to dig out of their own pockets to pay. Some people have closed and others have reduced the space they rent within the building.

Ventura has been selling at that location for about seven years, she said, and she experienced a decline in sales during the COVID-19 pandemic, but this is worse.

Carmen Delgado has been selling Mexican products, such as candy and other snacks, at the Phoenix Marketplace for 25 years. She also believes that sales have dropped since reports of raids emerged.

“There are almost no sales. Right now, we're not even making enough to cover the rent. I don't know how long we'll last; we'll wait a bit,” Delgado commented. She and other vendors confirmed that there have been no raids at that plaza.

About two miles west, on Thomas Road and the corner of 75th Avenue, is Mercado de los Cielos, another flea market-style plaza where hundreds of Latino vendors rent space to cater to a predominantly Latino clientele.

Norma Rojo sells clothing and footwear and said that since January, the mall has been empty. She believes customers are down 60%, but in the last few days, she said, she has started to see more people come by, which she attributes to the return of students to school.

Rojo says there haven't been any raids there. Personally, she hasn't seen any operations in the city either. "It's more what people say, word gets around," she said. If someone sees patrol cars in an area, they record it and upload it to social media, but they don't know what the situation is, she said.

The pro-migrant account PHX Rapid Response is dedicated to verifying reports of raids. They're posting this on their social media accounts and also asking the community to report the activity to 480-506-7437, the same number used by the Puente Human Rights Movement and Proyecto Progreso organizations.

Guillen, who estimates a 75% drop in sales at Phoenix Marketplace, said that the offices have routinely received calls asking to confirm immigration raid rumors because the information was shared on social media.

A few weeks ago, someone posted on social media that ICE would be at all the swap meets this last weekend, leading to a very empty plaza. There was no raid, she said.

While a raid of that magnitude hasn't occurred in Phoenix, it has happened in other cities across the United States. There have also been reports of people being detained on their way to work, or already at their workplaces, which is what happened to the owners of El Taco Loko shop in Phoenix and its employees in July.

When the raids began in California, the Phoenix-based Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce posted a message on its Facebook account in support of Latino and immigrant businesses.

“Latino-owned businesses are the backbone of our economy. We create jobs, pay taxes, and invest in our communities. What we want is an opportunity for the long-term, hardworking immigrant workers who have spent years contributing to the strength and growth of our economy, particularly here in Arizona, where industries like agriculture, construction, and hospitality rely heavily on immigrant labor. The recent workplace raids and mass deportations are deeply concerning because they destabilize the very individuals who keep this country running—workers, business owners, and entrepreneurs who are looking for leadership that prioritizes America’s economic prosperity,” the statement read.

“We support a secure border and the removal of individuals who pose legitimate threats to our safety. However, current enforcement policies are also targeting workers who have made long-term contributions to this country. Our border is secure and unauthorized entries are down; now it’s time to focus on securing our industries and ensuring the stability of the workforce that drives Arizona’s and America’s economy forward.”

As rumors continue to circulate, merchants are simply hoping for calm to return and for customers to regain trust.

César Barrón is an independent reporter covering the transnational communities of Ambos Nogales. He has over 20 years of experience covering the Sonoran communities.