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Fear of Trump’s Immigration Raids Pushes Hispanic Shoppers Toward Online Buying

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In Newark’s largely Latino Ironbound district, business owner Rosa Ludena watches customers vanish from her electronics shop. For over two decades, she has sold phone accessories to her community, but now the aisles are quiet.
“People are afraid to go out because of immigration raids,” says Ludena, who emigrated from Ecuador in 1999.

Since President Donald Trump renewed his hardline immigration crackdown, high-profile raids — from Home Depot parking lots to farms and factories — have shaken Hispanic communities nationwide. A January raid on a fish market near Ludena’s store still haunts local shoppers.

The impact extends far beyond Newark. Flea markets, small retailers, and national brands alike report falling in-store traffic as Hispanic consumers retreat to online shopping, fearing ICE patrols and public scrutiny. “It’s unsurprising given concerns over changing immigration policies,” said Mark Mathews, chief economist at the National Retail Federation.

Retail surveys by Kantar show store visits by Hispanic shoppers fell nearly 15% between April and June, while non-Hispanic visits dropped only 4.5%. Online shopping, meanwhile, reached record highs — 60% of Hispanic consumers shopped online last quarter.

For small business owners, the shift is devastating. “These aren’t big companies with websites,” said Oliver de la Garza of Proyecto Azteca, a nonprofit in Texas. At an Alamo flea market, he said, vendor numbers have halved since a June raid.

Major brands are noticing too. Heineken and JD Sports both reported sales declines among Hispanic customers. Shoe Palace, which caters to Latino shoppers, saw foot traffic collapse earlier this year. “You can see definitively the impact of immigration policy,” said JD Sports CEO Régis Schultz.

Large retailers like Walmart — whose online sales jumped 26% this summer — are benefiting from the trend, while smaller stores lacking e-commerce channels are losing customers fast.

Even legal residents say they’re nervous. “There’s fear of being watched or harassed,” said Julie Craig, a Kantar vice president.

Hispanic Americans, who represent 19% of the U.S. population, have a projected $2.8 trillion in buying power next year — but fear, not spending potential, is shaping how they shop.

Apple Pulls ICE-Tracking Apps After Trump Administration Pressure, Sparking Free Speech Debate

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Apple has removed ICEBlock and several similar apps from its App Store following direct contact from President Donald Trump’s administration, marking a rare case of U.S. federal intervention in app moderation. The apps, which alert users to the presence of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, were accused by the Justice Department of potentially endangering law enforcement officers.

Alphabet’s Google also removed related apps on Thursday, citing policy violations, but said it had not been contacted by federal authorities before taking action.

In an emailed statement, Apple confirmed: “Based on information we’ve received from law enforcement about the safety risks associated with ICEBlock, we have removed it and similar apps from the App Store.” The Justice Department later verified that it had formally reached out to Apple, which complied with the request.

Attorney General Pam Bondi praised the removal, calling ICEBlock “a tool designed to put ICE agents at risk just for doing their jobs.” She added, “Violence against law enforcement is an intolerable red line that cannot be crossed.”

Joshua Aaron, the Texas-based developer of ICEBlock, denied those allegations, accusing Apple of “capitulating to an authoritarian regime.” He told Reuters his legal team is considering next steps, arguing that “civilian surveillance of federal agents is a matter of public interest and protected speech.”

Civil liberties experts note that courts have long upheld the right to record and track law enforcement activities in public spaces, as long as those efforts do not obstruct official duties. Six legal scholars told Reuters that surveillance of ICE operations is “largely protected under the U.S. Constitution.”

The crackdown comes amid renewed immigration raids and the expansion of ICE’s enforcement powers under Trump’s second term, backed by $75 billion in funding through 2029. The administration has also targeted visa holders and lawful residents over political activism, particularly pro-Palestinian advocacy, heightening tensions around civil monitoring of ICE activity.

The removal has drawn attention to Apple’s growing compliance with government takedown requests. In 2024 alone, Apple removed over 1,700 apps globally following such demands — most originating from China (1,300+), Russia (171), and South Korea (79). Until now, the United States had not appeared on that list, according to Apple’s transparency reports.

Critics argue the move sets a troubling precedent for state influence over digital speech. “This decision signals a chilling alignment between Big Tech and political power,” said one digital rights advocate. Others suggest Apple’s economic vulnerability—given that most iPhones are manufactured in China and subject to U.S. tariff pressures—may make the company more susceptible to government demands.

Apple removes tens of thousands of apps annually for reasons ranging from fraud to intellectual property violations, but politically motivated removals remain rare. Whether ICEBlock’s disappearance marks a one-time compliance case or a shift in tech–state relations could define the next chapter of America’s digital free speech debate.