Carlos G. Obrador Garrido Cuesta, head consul of the Mexican Consulate in Philadelphia, speaks as panelists and business owners participate in an economic forum on Feb. 12, 2025 at CCATE in Norristown. (Credit: Obed Arango/CCATE)
'We need to stop that criminalization, demonization of the immigrants,' says CCATE Executive Director Obed Arango
A recent forum brought leaders and Latinx business owners from across the Philadelphia region together as fears surrounding an immigration enforcement crackdown disrupt local immigrant communities.
Around 60 businesses participated in a forum hosted by the Centro de Cultura Arte Trabajo y Educacion. The organization serving the area’s Latinx community, also known as CCATE, honed in on ways to assist businesses impacted by President Donald Trump’s executive actions and immigration enforcement directives.
Those orders have led to deportations of undocumented immigrants across the nation. Locally, the threat of arrests has resulted in Norristown’s Marshall Street commercial corridor becoming a “ghost town” in recent weeks.
Stop the ‘demonization’
For CCATE Executive Director Obed Arango, focusing on “how to stimulate the economy” and showing unity and strength to confront the message from the federal level is crucial.
“We need to stop that criminalization, demonization of the immigrants,” Arango told MediaNews Group. “We need to stop that narrative that has been spread … but we want to correct that in our county, that the immigrants here are not taking jobs, [they’re] creating jobs, that the immigrants here are revitalizing towns, that the immigrants here are opening businesses, that the immigrants here are proposing and creating resources and paying taxes.”
The Norristown-based nonprofit first hosted a meeting for area residents in late January that attracted 400 people as the community remains on edge. The second session held earlier this month focused on the economy, bringing elected officials at the local, state and federal level, municipal representatives, Norristown Chamber of Commerce President Kym Ramsey, as well as Carlos G. Obrador Garrido Cuesta, head consul of the Mexican Consulate in Philadelphia.
“In a time where things are very under fire on a federal level, in Norristown there is a very strong group of people who are united in advocating that the narrative that immigrant-owned businesses are taking away opportunities, or not generating jobs or taking away jobs or taking away from the tax base is a false narrative,” said Norristown Municipal Council President Rebecca Smith.
“In Norristown, particularly, we have a lot of strength from our Latino businesses, and they’re an incredibly vital part of not just our community, but our economy, and these businesses generate jobs, contribute to our tax base, and bring in unique services and cultural vibrancy to our community,” Smith continued. “I think that everybody in the room was united for that, and recognizes that we are stronger because of these businesses.”
Regional participation
While 35 businesses originally registered, attendance nearly doubled with people from 60 different businesses — ranging from hospitality to construction to landscaping to video production — showing up to the event located at 1247 W. Main St. The Feb. 12 session also brought establishments from outside the Montgomery County seat of Norristown, with business owners representing Bridgeport, Lansdale, Norristown, Philadelphia, and Plymouth Meeting.
“Because we had the representation of Montgomery County, we wanted to invite every Latino business in Montgomery County,” Arango said. “It was very nice to see a wide representation of the county, and even some Philadelphia businesses that … came because they were very interested in listening, and knowing how we were doing this.”
Among those panelists, Smith and Montgomery County Commissioners’ Chairwoman Jamila Winder emphasized the importance of fostering relationships with the Latino community.
“I think right now, especially when Immigrant businesses, Latino businesses are so under fire, everywhere that we have a place to come together as a community to support each other, to share information in a time where information is changing rapidly, and to just show support, on behalf of myself … for the Latino businesses in Norristown,” Smith said.
The Municipality of Norristown has an estimated 35,769 residents with 32.9 percent of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino, according to U.S. Census Bureau figures. Montgomery County has an estimated population of 868,742 people, according to July 2024 figures from the U.S. Census Bureau, with additional statistics from datausa.io revealing that roughly 10.8 percent of county residents “were born outside of the country” as of 2022. County officials approximated the immigrant population at more than 100,000 people.
“When you think about the Latino community, especially in the county seat, in Norristown, they are playing a critical role … in driving our economy,” Winder said. “I just wanted to be there to show support for the Latino community, and those that are operating businesses in the Norristown area, and Montgomery County, and beyond.”
The event’s format included remarks from panelists where business owners could hear directly from their representatives. Arango stressed the importance of panelists conveying “how they see and how they value the presence of businesses opened by [the] immigrant community and Latinx community, and what is the importance in the country.”
Arango called on “proposals” from elected officials, “in order to support and protect the businesses,” emphasizing how crucial it was for them to acknowledge the toll this has taken on the community.
“…Especially because the businesses have been suffering losses during the last month, and the idea [is] to see that if they collapse, an important part of the country’s economy will collapse,” he said, adding “how can we come together in conversations to build a stronger case for legislation [at] different levels?”
“The business owners just want to be heard, want to feel supported, want to feel like they’re part of this vibrant community,” Winder said, having also observed “it was quiet for an area, that main quarter of Marshall Street, that’s usually bustling.”
‘New normal’
Winder also recalled a “sobering” tenor to the room, with a “mixed bag of feelings and sentiments, but generally the feeling of getting information, understanding how to navigate this new normal.”
The event allowed for roughly six small group discussions as people came together, Arango said, to share their concerns, cultivating further dialogue concerning “challenges that your business has been having in this anti-immigrant environment today.
“I think that they did a great job at connecting the audience at a time where they have a need to hear from the panel members, and also, the panel members from the audience about what the Latino businesses need right now,” Smith said.
Arango also recalled a statistic from Obrador with respect to Mexico’s economy that the “country, is the second partner in importance to Pennsylvania’s economy,” noting impacts that could be felt across the commonwealth related to exports, imports and “presence of small businesses from Mexicans.”
“That information was very important because it tells you the importance of the Mexican community and the importance of Mexican companies, and the interchange with Mexico for the economy of Pennsylvania. Therefore, that was a very important point that was stressed there,” Arango said.
Leaders stood united as the community continued to navigate the tenuous situation.
“Norristown’s strengths now, but also historically, come from our diversity,” Smith said. It comes from immigrant populations that have made Norristown home, and our Latino businesses are a vital part of that, our immigrant-owned businesses right now are a vital part of that and their success is our whole community’s success.”
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