Latest news with #RAMW
NDTV
20-05-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
Trump's Crackdown On Undocumented Immigrants Hits Washington Restaurants
United States: When armed immigration agents made a surprise visit earlier this month to Pupatella, a trendy pizzeria in the US capital's Dupont neighborhood, they may not have made any arrests, but they delivered a clear message. The show of force, part of an "enhanced operation" by President Donald Trump's hardline administration, has had ripple effects through an industry reliant on immigrant labor, owners and others in the sector say. The agents asked to see employment eligibility forms known as I-9s, said Natasha Neely, vice president of Pupatella, which has several locations in the Washington area. "They did not have a warrant, and they did not have any form of paperwork, so they were turned away," she told AFP. A few hours later, agents showed up at Pupatella's Capitol Hill location, this time with a "notice of inspection," Neely said. The manager referred them to the restaurant's corporate office. The Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency said it had arrested 189 undocumented migrants after handing out 187 such notices in the Washington area between May 6 and May 9. In a press release, it described the activity as an "enhanced targeted immigration enforcement operation focusing on criminal alien offenders." While the inspection notices are not unusual, Neely said, they are normally delivered by e-mail due to their administrative nature. "We have never experienced anything like this," she said, expressing confusion about why the restaurant had been targeted. Crackdown fear Trump has made deporting undocumented immigrants a key priority for his second term, after successfully campaigning against an alleged "invasion" by criminals. So far, his administration has deported tens of thousands of migrants, with US courts hearing cases on allegations that the government violated due process in certain cases. Undocumented migrants are "the backbone of our industry. From top to bottom," Shawn Townsend, president of the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington (RAMW), told AFP. In addition to the restaurant industry, immigrant labor plays a crucial role in many sectors of the economy, including agriculture and construction. Before Trump's inauguration in January, RAMW knew immigration enforcement "was going to be a priority of the incoming administration, and so we held our first I-9 training workshop," said Townsend. One restaurant owner, speaking on condition of anonymity, said he felt threatened when immigration agents recently visited his establishment. "I'm going to see what the repercussions of that are. Basically, I don't know whether they're going to fine me forever or try to put me in jail," he said. Labor impacts According to a survey by employment law firm Littler Mendelson, 58 percent of executives said they were concerned Trump's anti-immigration policies would create labor shortages. The manufacturing and hospitality sectors were the most concerned. Since his restaurant was visited, the owner who requested anonymity said "anyone who had any questions about their eligibility to work has left." "They were advised by advocates... to basically just lay low, not come into work." Townsend said that the "political climate" and economic challenges facing small businesses were likely combining to raise anxiety among restaurant workers. Increased immigration enforcement, as during Trump's first term in office, "creates a scenario where (staff) may not return to work," he said. Neely said employees at Pupatella were startled by the surprise ICE visit, but that the restaurant was taking steps to address the situation. "We've made sure all of the managers know what the restaurants' rights are and what each team member's rights are," she said. Nevertheless, the raids do have a chilling effect. "Let's be honest, if anyone shows up at any location in a federal uniform with guns and vests... that's unnerving."
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump's immigration crackdown targets Washington restaurants
When armed immigration agents made a surprise visit earlier this month to Pupatella, a trendy pizzeria in the US capital's Dupont neighborhood, they may not have made any arrests, but they delivered a clear message. The show of force, part of an "enhanced operation" by President Donald Trump's hardline administration, has had ripple effects through an industry reliant on immigrant labor, owners and others in the sector say. The agents asked to see employment eligibility forms known as I-9s, said Natasha Neely, vice president of Pupatella, which has several locations in the Washington area. "They did not have a warrant, and they did not have any form of paperwork, so they were turned away," she told AFP. A few hours later, agents showed up at Pupatella's Capitol Hill location, this time with a "notice of inspection," Neely said. The manager referred them to the restaurant's corporate office. The Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency said it had arrested 189 undocumented migrants after handing out 187 such notices in the Washington area between May 6 and May 9. In a press release, it described the activity as an "enhanced targeted immigration enforcement operation focusing on criminal alien offenders." While the inspection notices are not unusual, Neely said, they are normally delivered by e-mail due to their administrative nature. "We have never experienced anything like this," she said, expressing confusion about why the restaurant had been targeted. - Crackdown fear - Trump has made deporting undocumented immigrants a key priority for his second term, after successfully campaigning against an alleged "invasion" by criminals. So far, his administration has deported tens of thousands of migrants, with US courts hearing cases on allegations that the government violated due process in certain cases. Undocumented migrants are "the backbone of our industry. From top to bottom," Shawn Townsend, president of the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington (RAMW), told AFP. In addition to the restaurant industry, immigrant labor plays a crucial role in many sectors of the economy, including agriculture and construction. Before Trump's inauguration in January, RAMW knew immigration enforcement "was going to be a priority of the incoming administration, and so we held our first I-9 training workshop," said Townsend. One restaurant owner, speaking on condition of anonymity, said he felt threatened when immigration agents recently visited his establishment. "I'm going to see what the repercussions of that are. Basically, I don't know whether they're going to fine me forever or try to put me in jail," he said. - Labor impacts - According to a survey by employment law firm Littler Mendelson, 58 percent of executives said they were concerned Trump's anti-immigration policies would create labor shortages. The manufacturing and hospitality sectors were the most concerned. Since his restaurant was visited, the owner who requested anonymity said "anyone who had any questions about their eligibility to work has left." "They were advised by advocates... to basically just lay low, not come into work." Townsend said that the "political climate" and economic challenges facing small businesses were likely combining to raise anxiety among restaurant workers. Increased immigration enforcement, as during Trump's first term in office, "creates a scenario where (staff) may not return to work," he said. Neely said employees at Pupatella were startled by the surprise ICE visit, but that the restaurant was taking steps to address the situation. "We've made sure all of the managers know what the restaurants' rights are and what each team member's rights are," she said. Nevertheless, the raids do have a chilling effect. "Let's be honest, if anyone shows up at any location in a federal uniform with guns and vests... that's unnerving." vla/ev/des/aha
Business Journals
08-05-2025
- General
- Business Journals
Ruth Gresser, Virginia Ali among RAMMY Honors awardees
Virginia Ali, pictured at the former Black Lives Matter Plaza in October 2020, is being honored by RAMW with the 2025 John G. Laytham Exceptional Leadership and Impact Award.
Axios
28-03-2025
- Business
- Axios
Exclusive: The D.C. restaurant association aims to kill Initiative 82
Widespread restaurant closures. Job and revenue loss. Talent drain. Many are painting a grim picture of D.C.'s dining scene and its future — which is why the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington is calling on legislators to repeal Initiative 82. Why it matters: I-82, which eliminates the tipped minimum wage, is among the most controversial laws recently passed in D.C. — and now, nearly three years into its implementation, many argue the system isn't working and needs to be reevaluated. The D.C. restaurant industry is at a "tipping point," RAMW president Shawn Townsend tells Axios, and he's gunning for a return to the traditional tipped minimum wage and its $5.35/hour base pay. Catch up quick: I-82 was passed by voters and then implemented in May 2023, incrementally raising tipped wages to reach the citywide minimum wage (currently $17.50/hour) by 2027. The tipped wage is currently at $10, but poised to jump to $12 in its next increase July 1. Previously, it was common practice in D.C. and much of the U.S. for tipped employees to be paid a lower base salary, assuming tips would meet — and often surpass — minimum wage. If not, businesses are legally required to make up the difference. Driving the news: Townsend tells Axios that the association plans to call on the DC Council to repeal I-82 before July. Earlier in the week, Axios spoke with members of a growing coalition of small businesses and hospitality workers about their plans to lobby legislators on a milder measure: A temporary freeze. By keeping I-82 at the $10 base wage, businesses could keep their doors open, workers in jobs, and allow for an independent impact study, they said. That effort, which RAMW also supports, is still on. "Everything is still on the table," Townsend says, "but we're going all-in on repeal, and we'll see where [the council] lands." Reality check: None of the DC Council members have introduced legislation to repeal or freeze I-82 — and according to three councilmembers' offices that Axios spoke with, the topic hasn't even been introduced for discussion. Plus, I-82 has a tumultuous history — an earlier version was repealed in 2018 — and workers are already enjoying the benefits of higher wages. "There's not an appetite on the council for a full repeal," Kevin Chavous, chief of communications for Ward 2 councilmember Anita Bonds, tells Axios. That said, a freeze isn't out of the question. Bonds hosted a public hearing in January with dozens of small business owners and hospitality workers to hear about the impact of I-82. Soon after, RAMW released a report that a record number of restaurants closed in 2024 — 74 in total — and that DC restaurants face double the sales decline of suburban locations between 2004 and the year prior (16% vs. 8%). "That's all concerning for us, and why we're taking a closer look," says Chavous. "Maybe a freeze or delaying the next increase. We need to consider all options that will help right now." Context: The I-82 increase comes at a uniquely turbulent time in D.C. when food and operational costs are spiking, and restaurant patronage is slumping as people worry about spending and job security amid Trump's federal government cuts. A recent RAMW poll of over 200 full-service restaurants revealed that 44% are considering closing this year — a sliver of the association's 1,500 members, but a "snapshot of what the industry is fearing and facing," says Townsend. In the same survey, nearly half (49%) said they saw fewer diners, while 47% reported lower sales last year. What they're saying: "It doesn't cure everything, but I-82 is the only thing the council and mayor can affect," Tony Tomelden, owner of The Pug, tells Axios. On Wednesday, he announced the coming closure of Brookland's Finest, his decade-old neighborhood pub, citing declining foot traffic, rising food costs, and "the payroll challenges Initiative 82 presented." "We're ringing in half of what we did pre-pandemic," Tomelden tells Axios. He estimates his payroll costs would increase by roughly $60,000 a year after July's wage increase. "We likely could have cut a lot of staff and made it, but that changes the nature of the place." Tomeldon says he's more realistic about a freeze than a repeal, "but something has to give." Between the lines: Workers have long been divided on I-82. Many have voiced support for higher wages for all and the end to a tipping system that can be discriminatory, arbitrary, and one that's historically attracted bad actors who've stolen wages and tips. And then there are the many whose voices aren't heard — workers without English proficiency or who may be undocumented — who benefit from higher wages. Other workers argue they make far more than minimum wage with tips, and say they've seen their gratuities and wages go down — especially as restaurants impose service fees to help cover costs. Zoom in: Yana Tarakanova, a restaurant worker of 12 years who provided testimony at Bonds' hearing, said her shifts were cut by 5-10 hours a week because of changes made after I-82. Service charges also cut down on her tips. "I do not blame [customers] at all, especially when you are not sure where the fees go," says Tarakanova, who says the businesses are also forced to cut support staff like bussers and food runners. "It is not profitable, they have to adjust. They are not charities. I don't blame them either."
