COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KOAA) — Businesses and community organizations on the southeast side of Colorado Springs say they are noticing changes in how families are showing up in public spaces, with some attributing the shift to concerns about immigration enforcement.
Monica Enriquez, the owner of Paleteria La Chilindrina, an ice cream shop in southeast Colorado Springs, says she has seen a noticeable change in the past year.
Instead of parents and children coming in together, more teenagers are stopping by on their own, and some are even applying for jobs.
"I saw parents, entire families coming here, suddenly just the children come, sharing with us that they miss their parents. It has been hard not to see the whole family enter," said Enriquez.
Enriquez said the teenagers applying for work are often U.S.-born young people stepping in to help support their households.
"Young people are born here and they are the ones who have to go out and make the money the parents are supposed to make," said Enriquez.
Despite changes at individual shops, Latino-owned businesses remain an important part of the local economy. According to the Colorado Springs Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, more than 6,000 Latino-owned businesses operate in restaurants, retail, construction and childcare.
In a written statement, Hispanic Chamber of Commerce President Joe Aldaz said in part:
"Latino entrepreneurs remain one of the fastest-growing segments of the small-business ecosystem in Colorado Springs, contributing to neighborhood commerce, employment, and the consumption-driven tax base that supports public safety, infrastructure."
Community organizations say they are also feeling the impact. Jackie Jaramillo, executive director of Centro de la Familia, says her organization is seeing fewer families walking through its doors.
"We've seen a huge drop in walk-ins, our advocates typically carry a case load anywhere from 80 to 120 clients each and that has dropped down to 60," said Jaramillo.
For more than three decades, Centro de la Familia has provided counseling, advocacy, and social support, especially for people who only speak and understand Spanish. Jaramillo says the financial strain on families has been significant.
"We've seen women lose their income because their husbands have been deported and now they are anywhere from $3,000 to $8,000 in back rent," said Jaramillo.
The drop in clients has also forced Jaramillo to reduce her staff.
"We had nine staff people, today (as of Monday) we have four," said Jaramillo.
The organization also reported a sharp decline in new clients, with 119 in the first quarter compared to the 165 to 200 clients a month it served before.
Organizations say they continue encouraging families to safely access resources, whether in person or by phone.
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