ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Businesses across the country and throughout upstate New York closed their doors Friday to take part in what’s being called the “ICE Out” nationwide strike.
The Saucey Chef is a curbside restaurant where customers enjoy its variety of ethnic foods.
“We celebrate ethnic food. The food that we do is rooted in flavors that are not just American food. We draw influence from Asian food, Caribbean food, Hispanic food, Italian food. We celebrate diversity here,” said owner and chef Margherita Smith, who closed her business on Friday as part of the nationwide “ICE-Out” strike.
“It seems like only natural to have a stance on this because, you know, if you can celebrate and appreciate food from different places, you have to honor people coming from different places and their contributions,” said Smith.
The Saucey Chef is one of thousands of businesses taking part in the strike, protesting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement policies following unrest in Minneapolis after two U.S. citizens were fatally shot by immigration enforcement agents.
“We think it is an inhumane way to handle people,” said Smith. “We think that it’s not the right way to treat citizens, non-citizens alike. And so, you know, it’s our act of resistance, if you will.”
Fridays are normally busy for restaurants like The Saucey Chef, but Smith believes taking this stand is worth it.
“So just putting community first over government, and saying, like, we the people can come together and stand for something united in a peaceful way,” Smith said. “I think it’s important. And I think it’s important that we exercise taking a stand.”
Smith says they’ve received positive feedback and believes her customers will return when the restaurant opens this weekend.
“I think that the old mantra of, you know, don’t mix business with politics. I think in this climate, it’s like saying, all are welcome here,” said Smith. “You know, by saying we don’t support what’s happening, we are saying we support immigrants, we support people’s right to protest peacefully. And it’s a message we want to convey.”
