There’s no safety from ICE anywhere in the US. La Carreta is a Mexican restaurant in Portsmouth, NH. On July 1, ICE abducted four of their employees on their way to work. This has increased fears not only for the people at the restaurant but for everyone in the city.

That’s not far from where I live, and the restaurant looked interesting and reasonably priced, so I decided to eat there on Sunday. They had outdoor seating and it was a very nice day, so I got a table outside.

They have a lunch menu which is available even on Sundays. The waiter brought me a huge basket of nachos with salsa right away. I ordered the lunch fajitas. What I got came on two substantial dishes. One was the meat and vegetables, steaming hot. The other had guacamole, refried beans, and sour cream. Lots of everything. It took me a moment to figure out that the foil wrapper that came along with them held the tortillas. There was more than I could eat, and it was very good.

Before I left, I told the waiter, “You are good people, no matter what the government says.” I left a bigger tip than I normally would, even for good service. They’re living with danger. They deserve it. I also found out how to say “no king” in Spanish: “No rey.”

Don’t say you can’t do anything about what’s happening. As long as you have a few dollars to spare, if you live in the USA, you can probably find a business not far from you that ICE has victimized. Give them a bit of patronage and encouragement. It will make them feel a little better and less afraid, and it will do the same for you.