Kirstie Marone

The owners I spoke to say they're struggling with two problems.

First, businesses that cater to immigrants are seeing fewer customers.

People are scared to leave their homes and venture out for fear of being stopped and detained by ICE.

I stopped in at New York Gyro, a popular restaurant in St.

Cloud.

Usually at lunchtime, it's full of hungry customers craving its halal pita sandwiches and kebabs.

That's co-owner Hasib Azam.

He told me that the recent ICE activity in St.

Cloud is scaring people away.

And the other issue for businesses is that some employees are afraid to come to work, even if they are in the U.S.

legally.

Azam says he and his co-owners are working 12 to 13-hour days just to keep the restaurant going.

That's right.

In fact, some have already temporarily closed their doors or reduced hours due to staffing shortages or out of concern for their employees.

Restaurants are doing more takeout and delivery orders as fewer customers want to linger for long periods in public places.

I visited Star City Mall in St.

Cloud.

It's a strip mall with several Somali-owned businesses.

There's a clinic, a pharmacy, grocery store, several cafes.

Dozens of ICE agents clashed with protesters in the mall's parking lot last week.