‘Everyone is welcome’: Local businesses support immigrants with anti-ICE signs
VENN
RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — Businesses across Richmond have joined a growing movement to express solidarity with immigrant communities, displaying signs that read, "ICE is not welcome here" or "ICE no es bienvenido aquí" on their storefronts.
"The time to be quiet and to pander to everybody is gone," said Cobra Burger Owner Adam Musselman. "It’s been gone."
Musselman said it's why he decided to put the sign up.
"It’s about being vocal, letting your community know that you are willing, at least in some small way, to speak out, hopefully letting people know that you’re a safe place to come," he said.
The sentiment is shared by many other local business owners, including Clem Martin, who owns CobbleStore Vintage.
"Small businesses in Richmond are a large part of the heart of the city of Richmond," Martin said. "So it’s important to foster a safe and welcoming community. Everyone is welcome and our places of business, no matter their immigration status."
Martin said he reached out to the Richmond Community Legal Fund, who distributes the signs to businesses in need, but initially had difficulty getting one due to high demand.
Charlie Schmidt, an immigration attorney and president of the Richmond Community Legal Fund, explained the legal implications behind the campaign. He said more than 200 businesses have asked for one.
"Small business owners have the right to refuse service to anyone," Schmidt said. "They can ask anyone to leave their private property."
Schmidt said this includes ICE, unless they have a judicial warrant signed by a judge. He said oftentimes ICE will present an administrative warrant, which holds different authorities.
"Administrative warrant, does not give them the ability to, enter into private areas and search," he said. "That only gives ICE the ability to arrest in public."
Schmidt said he teaches classes with people to show them their rights when dealing with federal immigration enforcement. You can find out more about those, or get a sign for your business on the Richmond Community Legal Fund's website.
