My daughter has noticed that. She works sales for a paint/DIY store. Most of their contractors either are or have Hispanic workers. They usually are in/out of the store all day, every day, buying all sorts of supplies. Our daughter said that their sales numbers have been way down because lately they just aren't showing up. She told her manager and Asst. manager that they were not on target to even come close to their quarterly goal. The manager is Hispanic and a Trumper. He actually said she can't make that prediction because they could make it up, and he went on to say that he didn't understand where the workers were. Corporate actually sent down instructions on how to deal with ICE should they come to the store.

Both the Mgr and Asst Mgr are very nice people, but seem to be clueless, beyond being Trump supporters.

no matter how bad their lives get individually.

on several projects. They are 3/4 of the way done and we paid a portion of the project up front - well after they'd been working for about a week. It's only fair considering that they bought the lumber, paint etc. I trust the contractor 100%.

It sounds like you may have done that. Any reputable contractor should be able to get credit for materials and if they need you to pay for them in advance you don't want them.

Last several years. I always give him money upfront for materials for any job. Not a problem, small business can't handle it without that. Actually most places I've dealt with in my lifetime want some up front money. Just part of doing business.

If they don't it means they don't pay their bills and their headache becomes yours if you pay them upfront

Best case scenario, they will be back once they are done.

That was my first thought.

I live in SoCal and there's an event venue near my house. Every weekend we'd hear/see Mariachi music and stuff (a lot of Hispanic people here). The last four months the place has been completely shut down. No events at all. I think they're afraid to come out in groups or something.

I get healthcare at a large public health care system. The waiting room is usually full of Hispanic people. I didn't see a single one yesterday. The place was less than half as busy as usual.

ICE has been active in our community, picking up young men. I doubt they are in gangs or doing anything wrong. This is all just for brutality.

The Trump administration is going to destroy our economy….

Workers not showing, up, no word, no contact.

People are being disappeared, and there are DUers saying "I hope you didn't pay upfront!"

Or, others suggest that hey, maybe they got called away to a different job and didn't bother to tell you.

Am I detecting a "you know how they are" vibe?

Last edited Tue Apr 1, 2025, 05:01 PM - Edit history (1)

Central Ohio. I remember there was another “concern post” eerily similar to this one a month or so ago. Does anyone know what became of the “latin gardener?”As a person that was stiffed out of 35k (in cash) on a refurb I was doing. I don’t feel as though it’s wrong to fear you have been taken. Nor is it unreasonable to assume they may be on another job. I can’t speak for anyone else, but I am always aware of my contractors plans as they can be quite unpredictable.

All I know for certain is, around here. It is all hands on deck. I saw two roofs going on this morning. Three foundations up and out of the ground. Easily a dozen houses going up and the mega apartment complex down the road is going full bore. My anecdotal trip to Home Depot to buy some flooring didn’t give me any reason for pause. It was the same contractors doing the same stuff I’ve been accustomed to seeing over the last couple decades.

Now my curiosity is up. I’m gonna message my step son and see if he is having any staffing issues. He is a general contractor, and would know better than anyone what’s up if anything. Will edit this post once I get a reply.

My step son just responded to my inquiry. Here is his reply (copy and pasted verbatim). Nope.. none of my guys have had any issues.. I think there is some small stuff happening and it’s getting amplified.

If your hubby doesn't want to do it, tell him you will be happy to do it, and ask him for the number. He may be thinking he doesn't want them to feel like he is dissatisfied with their work, but he or you could easily just say you were worried about them. They might actually appreciate that. I'd at least try to do it myself. If it's nothing and they are OK, you will at least have relieved your anxiety.

who employed a large group of undocumented Mexicans. OK, it was a large Hotel restaurant in a big city in Texas. Absolutely wonderful people. Worked hard. Bilingual, as we all were, as they taught us Mexican and we taught them English. BUT, when ICE showed up in the neighborhood of the Hotel, they would all disappear into thin air. I always assumed that the hotel had a place for them all to disappear to, because as soon as the ICE people got through looking around and left, they would silently show back up and resume what they were doing before they left. Maybe that's what happened to those workers? They got wind that ICE was in the neighborhood? They're either hiding for a while to evade ICE or Ice picked them up. Now then, don't you think if ICE had been in town, the whole town or region would know of their presence? If you haven't heard of ICE being in your area, IMHO I'd lay odds that they are laying low and will be back.

I do feel like an idiot.

I should have realized that they stopped working for a couple of days for a reason.
The porch floor was only half painted and I was concerned that they were snatched away before they could finish.

NOT THE CASE!
They painted half the porch floor and allowed it to dry before painting the other half so they could put the wicker furniture on the completely dried and set newly painted floor while they painted the other half. Duh!

A year ago there would have been no concern - I may have been just slightly annoyed.

A man who lived in our community for 20 years - an immigrant from Egypt - was disappeared. Then through community outrage and leveraging our State and Local electeds, we at least got him back to NJ.

In addition - We are now up to 7 families that have vanished since the beginning of the year.

It's a 1.17 square mile Borough - so we KNOW each other.

I miss the laughter of their children. That's all I have to say.