My neighborhood in America struggling two weeks since Trump takes office

I live in a suburban neighborhood in Southern California with a large Latino population. Even before taking office, Trump had put this city on U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) target list for immigration raids. Now, the impact is unfolding.

For the past ten days, ICE vehicles have been patrolling the streets and targeting Mexican supermarkets. I often shop at these places since they are close by and always offer fresh tropical produce imported from Mexico. But lately, the stores have been nearly empty. Shoppers are in hiding.

At night, however, protests erupt outside a store I frequently visit, likely because protesters believe ICE agents won't operate after dark.

As a volunteer for a nonprofit legal organization specializing in immigration law, I see firsthand how the new policies affect people's lives.

Many asylum seekers enter the U.S. and stay while their applications are reviewed. Others arrive through family-sponsored visas but can become stranded if their sponsor refuses to help them secure legal status. Without permanent residency, they remain vulnerable to deportation at any time.

ICE agents apprehending two immigrants in Arizona, U.S. Photo by Reuters

Immigration lawyers used to advise these individuals to carry documentation from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to prove their pending applications. If stopped by ICE, they could show the documentations and be released without issue. Now, that advice has changed.

"Hide," lawyers say. "If ICE catches you, those documents won't mean anything anymore."

Even Elon Musk, the billionaire donor leading Trump's Department of Government Efficiency, once faced a similar situation—he had a student visa but dropped out to start a company, working illegally in the U.S.

Few people realize now just how much power the president has over immigration matters in America. A president can even deport legal visa holders without reason.

Under current laws, immigration cases go through immigration courts, which fall under the executive branch, not the judiciary. This means immigration policies can change dramatically depending on who is in office.

The uncertainty is clear. Anyone who isn't a U.S. citizen and isn't white or African American is worried. So far, only a few people have been arrested, but countless others have gone into hiding.

In California, agriculture relies heavily on immigrant labor—both documented and undocumented. Many workers are now too afraid to show up. Some farms report only 30% of their usual workforce, and with supply shrinking, food prices are increasing.

Yesterday, supermarket eggs hit $12.99 per dozen, yet the media seems too preoccupied with other stories to report on it.

I know several U.S. government employees whose jobs were thrown into chaos. Many have received notices offering them the option to resign while still being paid until September 2025. But since Congress controls spending and these payments aren't part of the budget, those who believe in this promise may end up with nothing. It's simply a trap for the naive.

Federal employees aren't naive, though. They are furious. And every government agency is scrambling to reassure its staff.

Protests have broken out outside the Office of Personnel Management. Online government forums are flooded with angry messages, many directed at Elon Musk. Moderators have even started deleting them.

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the State Department’s foreign aid division, has shut down entirely.

At the same time, Musk now has full access to the Treasury Department's data, sparking concerns over the data security of government finances, pension payments, and employee salaries.

Everyone connected to the government, be it lawyers, military contractors, or suppliers, is feeling confused and scared.

Trump supporters, however, insist that this suffering is necessary to achieve their goals—though, of course, they expect others to bear the brunt of it. The moment they experience hardship themselves, they are quick to complain.

Some government employees who backed Trump are now either silent or joining in on cursing Musk, saying they voted for Trump, not him.

For now, the new tariffs haven't taken effect since the taxed goods have yet to arrive in the U.S. But I'm not waiting. I'm scrambling to buy what I can before prices soar—maybe Canadian maple syrup or Chinese electronics first, since they will most likely be heavily taxed.

In the end, protecting my family matters more than blaming those who caused this mess.

*Khanh Huynh is a Vietnamese lawyer living and working in the U.S.