Street vendor Vicky Gonzalez returned to work after three weeks even though she still fears being separated from her family by ICE, but the need to pay her expenses makes her put her fear aside and go out onto the streets.

“I feel very deprived of freedom, you can't do anything,” said González. “And if I go to the store because I want something, I can't go because I have to take the bus, and if I take the bus, they can arrest me there.”

However, when she took the risk and went out to her regular sales area in the city of Anaheim yesterday, she noticed there were very few pedestrians.

“The people who don't go out are the ones who support you the most here, and now everything is empty,” said the street vendor.

The fear of being deported still exists among the Anaheim community and has impacted both the economy and life in the city where 52.5% of the population identifies as Latino.

According to Anaheim city spokesperson Mike Lyster, many families do not feel safe going out and some have stopped going to work, whether in construction, car washes, or as self-employed day laborers. This absence will generate other problems at home, such as purchasing food, diapers, and essential items.

However, last week the city of Anaheim launched an initiative called Anaheim Contigo, which includes several resources to support the migrant community affected by the wave of raids.

One of the key parts of Anaheim Contigo is emergency assistance grants for families impacted by immigration enforcement.

Anaheim Contigo has partnered with the Anaheim Community Foundation, a nonprofit organization through which the grants will be administered.

While they are not yet offering the grants, the city is accepting applications from any Anaheim resident through its family resource centers in Ponderosa Park, Miraloma Park, and Downtown Anaheim.

Additionally, Anaheim is the first city to offer this form of support for migrants during the current presence of federal officers among the 34 cities in Orange County.

Anaheim City Councilmember Carlos León shared that while there are many things out of his control with the presence of federal agents, what he can control is how the city responds.

“As a son of immigrants, being able to point to something to say that we are supporting our community here in the city, and maybe it’s not all we want it to be yet, is a work in progress, but it’s a step in the right direction to make sure residents know their city is here for them,” the councilmember said.

Leon added that for people who feel powerless and want to support the migrant community, they can donate to the Anaheim Community Foundation fund, which can be found on the website Anaheim. Net/Contigo, where more information can be found.

“There is fear in the community, and there is also an economic impact on the city and the region, all under the guise of making our community safer, and that, unfortunately, is not what is happening,” said the Latino councilmember.

To date, they have raised $10,000 in funds to support migrants.

Hailey Sotelo, one of the founders of the student political organization OC Youth Movement, described the situation in Anaheim as truly heartbreaking for the migrant community.

“It is a scary time in our community, but in that time of fear, a lot of hope is also spreading… People in our communities are really stepping up to support each other,” said the young Latina.

After organizing a rally advocating for more protections for the migrant community a few months ago, Sotelo emphasized that she is excited to see the Anaheim city council providing resources and grants for migrants, but she wishes they had created the infrastructure for the initiative sooner.

“If this had been done sooner or even planned ahead, the execution would have been much smoother and people would have had access to those resources before this whole situation got out of hand,” the community activist explained.

On Friday afternoon from 4 to 7 p.m., the OC Youth Movement will hold a peaceful rally against ICE raids in Anaheim near Anaheim Plaza between Crescent and Euclid streets.