Federal raid affects Hispanic businesses
By VALERIE WELLS • August 27, 2008

All Tuesday morning, Manuel Ventura, owner of the small grocery store Plaza Fiesta, got phone calls from the Hispanic community in Hattiesburg wondering if it was safe to come outside.

"People are scared," Ventura said. They are so scared, they asked him to bring food to their homes. He delivered groceries with news.

Ventura heard a rumor Friday that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement had targeted the Hattiesburg area, so Monday's raid on Howard Industries in Laurel didn't come as a complete shock.

Despite reported fears in the Hispanic community, two workplaces where many Hispanics work said they were not affected by a low turnout of employees and were operating normally Tuesday.

Allen Butler, manager of Marshall Durbin chicken-processing plant in Hattiesburg, said the plant was open and everything was "fine." He referred all other questions to a public relations representative in Birmingham, Ala.

Also open Tuesday was Sanderson Farms, another chicken-processing plant in Laurel.

The raid at Howard Industries had not affected employee turnout, officials said."We don't comment on other companies," said Mike Cockrell, chief financial officer at Sanderson Farms in Laurel.

But some Hispanic-owned businesses were closed Monday and Tuesday or had slow business.

"There's not too many people coming in here," Ventura said. Instead, they call him and ask if he's heard what's open and where the police are."
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