In Los Angeles County and its working-class suburbs, ‘a plague of fear and silence’ in once-busy immigrant hubs

In the days since immigration raids descended on Los Angeles and surrounding cities, an eerie emptiness surrounds once-bustling spots, from laundromats to clinics, Home Depots and corner markets.

The people who once frequented them are gone, chased away by fear of federal agents from U.S. Immigration and Custom Enforcement, and whispered allegations that “la migra” no longer honors the basic legal protections assured of everyone in the country.

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