Flatbush businesses report declining foot traffic amid ICE concerns

Businesses in the Flatbush neighborhood of Brooklyn are reporting a significant decline in foot traffic and staffing challenges due to concerns regarding U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity.

A survey by the Flatbush-Nostrand Junction Business Improvement District revealed that 70% of responding business owners experienced a decrease in foot traffic over the past year. Additionally, 50% of respondents noted that customers raised concerns about ICE, while 33% anticipated a reduction in their workforce.

Local merchants, many of whom own immigrant-owned businesses, report that the downturn in street activity became noticeable around late May. Business owners have expressed fears that immigration enforcement activities are discouraging both customers from visiting storefronts and employees from reporting to work, including those with legal work authorization.