Ranking Member Markey Introduces Legislation to Support Small Businesses Under Attack by Trump’s ICE Thugs

Markey bill would allow businesses to recoup up to $1 million in lost revenue

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(Washington, February 26) - Ranking Member Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) announced that he introduced the Small Business ICE Disruption Fund Act, which would provide grants to small businesses that have been impacted by the Trump administration's violent immigration enforcement actions on Main Streets across the United States. As raids by masked ICE agents continue to terrorize American communities, small businesses have been forced to close their doors and adapt to steep declines in revenue to survive.

Ranking Member Markey's Small Business ICE Disruption Fund Act would allow small businesses to recoup up to $1 million in lost revenue as a result of the Trump administration's reckless immigration enforcement tactics.

"From Massachusetts to Minnesota, Trump's ICE thugs are terrorizing communities and racially profiling and targeting individuals for immigration enforcement," said Ranking Member Markey. "As a result, frightened small business owners and workers have been forced to reduce hours, barricade doors, or close altogether. ICE is a disaster. My Small Business ICE Disruption Fund Act delivers real disaster relief for Main Street by providing grants for impacted small businesses. We must defund and abolish ICE and make ICE pay-legally and financially-for harm done to our small businesses and the communities they serve."

"Local, immigrant-owned small businesses are cornerstones of communities like Chelsea," said Gladys Vega, President of La Colaborativa in Chelsea, Massachusetts. "The indiscriminate targeting of our community has paralyzed our local economy, gravely affecting our local small businesses. Our downtown is often desolate, storefront vacancies are increasing, and the costs of doing business, linked to unfair tariffs, are significantly straining local small business owners, while everyday costs are unaffordable for residents. In this critical moment, we're grateful for the proactive leadership of Senator Markey in protecting our community and local economy."

"We Are ALX applauds Senator Markey's Small Business ICE Disruption Fund Act, which addresses the challenges many Latino-owned businesses have faced over the past year due to excessive federal immigration enforcement," said Eneida Román, President and CEO of We Are ALX. "When customers and key employees stop showing up out of fear or disruption, revenues decline and our local economy feels the strain, directly threatening the Latino prosperity we've worked so hard to build in our community. This legislation provides much-needed economic relief to help businesses recover and grow, while also boosting our state's economic impact."

"Over the past year, I have witnessed firsthand how immigration related enforcement and uncertainty have significantly impacted our business community. The effects have resulted in revenue loss, staffing shortages, and operational disruptions. Many microbusinesses that rely on immigrant workers and customers have experienced decreased foot traffic and reduced economic activity. Beyond the financial impact, a climate of fear has discouraged families from fully participating in the local economy. That fear has had a direct ripple effect on neighborhood businesses and local commercial corridors. It is also essential to recognize the importance of language access. Many entrepreneurs face language barriers, and critical information is often lost in translation. Providing assistance in their native language is not optional; it is necessary to ensure equitable access, understanding, and compliance. Without culturally and linguistically competent support, many business owners are unintentionally excluded from programs meant to help them. Microbusinesses operate on thin margins. Even modest declines in revenue or workforce instability can threaten their survival. The economic impact has been real, ongoing, and deeply felt. This bill is important because it acknowledges that these challenges affect entire local economies. Supporting stabilization, access, and equity is essential to protecting jobs and strengthening our communities," said Elizabeth Cruz, President of the Latin American Business Organization (LABO).

"The same politicians who claim to support small businesses are backing ICE actions that crush foot traffic, scare workers from their jobs, and destabilize entire commercial corridors. Ask any business owner in an ICE zone-they'll tell you it's devastating and out of control. These entrepreneurs work tirelessly for their communities, and watching their livelihoods suffer is heartbreaking. The Small Business ICE Disruption Fund offers immediate relief-helping businesses keep staff, pay rent, and stay open during this crisis," said Richard Trent, National Executive Director for the Main Street Alliance.

"Independent restaurants and bars operate on some of the thinnest margins - between 3%-5% - of any sector, which means even short-term disruptions can result in an extinction event and close a business for good," said Erika Polmar, Executive Director of the Independent Restaurant Coalition. "When immigration enforcement actions suddenly reduce staff availability or drive customers away, there is often no financial cushion to absorb the loss. We're grateful to Senator Markey (D-MA) for recognizing this reality and introducing the Small Business ICE Disruption Fund Act, which offers targeted, responsible relief to help independent businesses survive unexpected shocks and remain anchors in their communities."

"When employees and customers do not feel safe on their streets, businesses suffer. When Main Street businesses suffer, communities suffer. What we witnessed in Minnesota was a wake-up call: large-scale federal immigration enforcement can destroy local economies in a matter of weeks. The Small Business ICE Disruption Fund Act is a necessary step to protect community stability and financial security," said Camilla Taylor, Executive Director of the American Sustainable Business Network.

"Small Business Majority's research found that 47% of small business owners say increased activity by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents has had a negative impact on their business. This includes loss of employees and loss of customers, as well as ongoing fear of ICE activity that makes it difficult for some small firms to even keep their doors open. Although some of the damage done by ICE to small businesses will be difficult if not impossible to repair, a program that offers compensation for small businesses harmed by immigration actions would go a long way toward helping small businesses recover from detrimental immigration policies," said John Arensmeyer, Founder and CEO of Small Business Majority.

"Mass deportation efforts are causing small businesses across the county to lose revenue, lost income that we have long said is the Federal Government's responsibility to repay. Senator Markey's bill offers financial help to the thousands of small businesses that have seen their income drop from no fault of their own. Workers, regardless of immigration status, are being detained or afraid to go to work. Consumer spending by the immigrant community has dramatically decreased and there is no revenue at all when small businesses are forced to shut down due to unnecessary immigration tactics. If Congress has $200 billion to create this immigration enforcement chaos, it can use some of that money to pay small businesses for their losses that result," said Frank Knapp Jr., Managing Director of Secure Growth Initiative.

Ranking Member Markey has fought hard to protect immigrant communities and small businesses from the onslaught of harmful policies imposed by the Trump administration.

• This week, Ranking Member Markey, House Small Business Committee Ranking Member Nydia Velázquez (D-N.Y.), Congressional Black Caucus Chair Yvette Clarke (D-N.Y.), Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chair Adriano Espaillat (D-N.Y.), and Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus Chair Grace Meng (D-N.Y.) sent a letter urging the SBA to rescind their lending rule change that bars legal permanent residents from receiving SBA loans.
• Earlier in February, Ranking Members Markey and Velázquez released a statement condemning the actions of the SBA after it announced that small businesses with legal permanent residents will be barred from receiving SBA loans.
• In December, Ranking Member Markey and all Democratic members of the Senate Small Business Committee sent a letter to the SBA reiterating concerns with the citizenship requirements and highlighting a drop in SBA lending volume. Despite documented concerns from SBA lenders and borrowers about the citizenship requirements, SBA has not responded to the letter.
• In September, Ranking Member Markey heard directly from SBA lenders about the issues with the citizenship verification requirements.
• In July, Ranking Members Markey and Velázquez sent a letter to the SBA expressing serious concerns with the agency's new, draconian citizenship verification requirements that require small businesses seeking SBA loans to be 100% owned by U.S. citizens, nationals, and legal permanent residents. SBA has not responded to the letter.