U.S. businesses along the U.S./Mexico border experienced “devastating” financial losses due the Trump administration’s hours-long closure of the San Ysidro border crossing during the busy Thanksgiving weekend, with the local Chamber of Commerce reporting “a loss of an estimated $5.3 million for the 650 businesses in the area.”
“The economic impact was deep and immediate in the border area, where retail businesses depend on cross-border traffic—at least 90 percent of retail customers in San Ysidro come from Mexico,” the New York Times reported. Among those who took a hit was business man Rahil Iqbal, who owns some discount shops in the area.
“It was a disaster for us, it was just a very important day lost.” he told NBC San Diego, adding that he estimated he lost as much as $25,000 in profits. “Iqbal says 90 percent of his customers come from Tijuana and he’s concerned with what will happen in the days ahead.” Local Chamber of Commerce president Jason Wells said that “we’re in a critical time of the year for everyone whose livelihood depends on this. It’s surreal, I would say it’s almost at the point that it’s scary.”
The administration’s war on asylum seekers at the border is having devastating financial costs, yes, but the devastating human costs must also not be ignored, like the tear-gassing of families and children. “I felt sad, I was scared. I wanted to cry,” said the mom from the now-viral photograph. “That’s when I grabbed my daughters and ran. I thought my kids were going to die with me because of the gas we inhaled.”
