Home Depot’s Van Nuys store in Los Angeles has become well-known in recent weeks for the regular federal immigration raids that took place this summer. Feds have raided the store at least five times, instilling fear among employees and customers. This Home Depot—sitting on property owned by Los Angeles World Airports—has quickly become ground zero in LAX enforcement actions. These actions are just one of many in an ongoing campaign against the company’s stores throughout Southern California.
Home Depot operates approximately 2,300 stores nationwide and relies heavily on contractors and professionals for about half of its business. Those ICE round-ups are hurting pedestrian traffic to the company’s stores chain-wide, which stretch throughout the LA region. In June, they were down 10.7%, and July saw them down another 10% versus the same period last year. Though sales on a national level are consistent, vendors in certain areas will feel the effects of enforcement actions.
These immigration raids are a part of an alarming trend that has begun to target businesses that employ immigrant workers. Home Depot has been singled out as federal agents have targeted at least a dozen within the home improvement giant’s stronghold. The company is doing well and hasn’t taken serious hits from the national ICE raids. At the level of individual stores, their impacts are very much being felt.
In response to the crisis, Home Depot has started offering resources for its employees. According to Beth Marlowe, a representative of the company, “We tell associates to report any suspected immigration enforcement activity immediately and not engage with the activity for their safety.” Affected employees who are shaken by a raid have the option of going home for the day. They will be getting paid for this period between the spring and fall.
Even with the difficulty that these raids have caused, Home Depot still manages to work its will on the political scene. The company’s late co-founder, Bernie Marcus, made a name for himself thanks to his support for former President Donald Trump. Home Depot’s political action committee has contributed to both Democratic and Republican candidates, reflecting a strategy aimed at maintaining bipartisan relationships.
Lowe’s, Home Depot’s second-ranked competitor, depends on contractors for about 30% of its business. This is evidence of just how much both companies are relying on this key demographic. The pressure created by immigration enforcement may inhibit the ability for industries heavily dependent on a diverse workforce to operate smoothly.
Local community leaders have raised a hue and cry against new Home Depot plans. City councilperson Ysabel Jurado has expressed fears that these developments may have a disproportionate negative effect in her district. For now, community members continue to stand in solidarity with all those impacted by the raids. One local resident noted, “Here, all of us together, we’ve become friends,” highlighting the bonds formed among workers despite external pressures.
That very high demand and low supply not only create dire effects in general. Just last week, a father of three lost his life while escaping immigration agents. This unfortunate crash happened just outside of Home Depot’s Monrovia store. This highlights the increased dangers that people toiling under these conditions encounter.
Pablo Alvarado, a prominent advocate for immigrant rights, emphasized the broader implications of such actions: “When you undermine the civil rights of those who are more vulnerable, you undermine the civil rights of everyone else.” This sentiment strikes a chord with everyone who has been alarmed by the impact of immigration enforcement on marginalized communities.
Right now, Home Depot is facing the heat from law enforcement and local activists. It will be intriguing to see how these challenges shape its operations and community relations going forward. How, and even if, a company responds to immigration enforcement can help determine the direction of its business future. It will change how it’s received and understood inside the communities it serves.
