WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — El Mariachi restaurant is now back on its feet.
"We have new people working here," El Mariachi co-owner Stefany Delgado said. "We have more new customers."
The restaurant worried it would be losing customers last year.
That's when many kitchen workers fled Florida in the wake of a comprehensive immigration law calling on penalties for businesses who hired the undocumented.
Palm Beach County
Florida's new immigration law creates 'panic' in agriculture community
Months later, Stefany Delgado worries about how her new workers see Florida's role in the latest immigration crackdown at the Texas border.
Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Thursday he is sending troops from the Florida Guard and Florida National Guard to the U.S. southern border. Martin County Sheriff William Snyder is visiting as well.
When asked if she was nervous about the possibility of some of her workers leaving during this crackdown Delgado answered, "Of course, so we have to adapt to it."
"There's a huge increase in calls and appointments from clients because they're freaking out," Palm Beach County immigration attorney Richard Hujber said.
He believes Texas' new law, allowing local and state police to detain and potentially send migrants back to Mexico, is causing concern among local businesses.
"Are we using Florida resources, Florida police, Florida sheriffs, Florida guard to join in on this in terms of arresting, detaining, deporting people without status?" remarked Hujber.
The border crackdown is in large part an effort to stem the flow of the deadly drug fentanyl into the U.S.
"We have 12 or 13 new employees," Delgado said
She added those new employees are not connected to the drug trade, but still worries that the news of a crackdown will cause some to leave.
