Yes, apparently “No Trespassing” signs are the new must-have accessory for small businesses in the Rio Grande Valley. It’s part security measure, part community statement, and part passive-aggressive art installation.
And let’s be clear, these signs aren’t aimed at the usual suspects; teenagers loitering with intent, guys selling suspicious cologne out of a trunk, or Jehovah’s Witnesses with laminated smiles. Nope. These are tailor-made for the well-armed immigrant hunters of ICE, because nothing ruins a lunch rush quite like a spontaneous deportation of brown-skinned people.
One such sign, taped to the door of Taqueria Mary in Mission, reads, “Open to patrons and personnel only.” Translation: "Come for the tacos, not to handcuff our employees or patrons." Taqueria Mary is a well-known restaurant like Brownsville's Cobbleheads, serving Enchiladas Poblano but with a Fourth Amendment quiz at the door.
But don’t get the wrong idea. This isn’t some revolutionary uprising involving tortilla-chucking radicals and protest chants in 3/4 time. No, these signs are entirely legal, as confirmed by attorney Carlos Moctezuma Garcia, a man whose name suggests he’s either arguing a case before the Supreme Court or liberating a village.
“It’s more than a symbolic deterrent,” Garcia says, presumably while adjusting his metaphorical cape. “It’s an actual deterrent,” lawyer code for "asking nicely."
Of course, if federal agents decide to ignore the sign, because laws, much like speed limits and expiration dates on milk, are apparently just suggestions now, then what happens? Well, then the sign is about as useful as those little paper umbrellas in a margarita: decorative, quaint, and completely incapable of stopping anything serious.
Garcia is refreshingly honest about the stakes. If ICE does come waltzing in, warrant-free and full of gusto, anyone they decide to arrest is still headed to immigration court. The chance of getting that arrest tossed out because the agents skipped the “please and thank you” part of the law? Slim to none and Slim left town with the last tamale batch.
Still, these signs aren’t just about legal protection, they’re about something far more subversive in America: basic human decency. Imagine that: a small business daring to publicly side with its own employees instead of pretending ICE raids are just unfortunate weather events they have no control over.
Raids, after all, don’t just detain people, they decimate livelihoods and destroy families. Entire kitchens have gone silent, construction crews have vanished mid-pour, and bakeries that once smelled of cinnamon now smell faintly of fear. It's tough to focus on customer service when you’re watching the door for forced entry.
Some business owners have wisely declined to go on the record about their signs, which makes total sense. When agents with questionable entry etiquette are involved, anonymity is the new bulletproof vest.
And what of consequences for agents who ignore these legal boundaries? Well, no one actually expects that in the anti-democratic Trump era.
So again, why put up the signs?
Because sometimes, symbolism is the only tool you have left. These little laminated pleas for constitutional order are the modern equivalent of drawing a line in the sand, except instead of a sword, you’re wielding Scotch tape.
It’s not rebellion. It’s not defiance. It’s a politely printed piece of paper saying, “We’re not serving subpoenas today, but we do have a lunch special.”
And if ICE agents ignore it? Well, at least they’ll know they came in uninvited.
Because in the Rio Grande Valley, where brisket is revered, and community runs thicker than mole', a small business still has the guts to say:
“We’re not lawless, but we do prefer being respected.”
.png)
No comments:
Post a Comment