Restaurants raise money for detained immigrants

Twenty-five Twin Cities small businesses last Tuesday raised $25,000 by donating a percentage of sales to raise money for the Florence Project an organization that provides legal and social services to immigrant families on the Arizona border
"We stand up for our community, for our customers, for our employees, and because we all need to stand up together to the crazy injustices coming from the Trump administration to support bringing families back together and to do a small part to help immigrants and refugee with basic services including legal support." said Danny Schwartzman, owner of Common Roots Café, helped coordinate the fundraiser.
The Florence Project says it is the only organization in Arizona that provides free legal and social services to detained men, women and children under threat of deportation. Without representation, many immigrants would lose their case and get sent back to the conditions they are fleeing. Florence Project serves over 4,500 people of which approximately 2,000 are children.
"I immigrated here from Colombia with my family almost three decades ago. I have been able to bring my culture to this place through my food because of the opportunities this country has provided me," said Luis Patino, owner of Café Racer. "I do not believe that the atrocity happening at our borders represents who we are as a people. Seeking a better life for oneself and family should be something we help provide - not criminalize."
Schwartzman and other small business owners, many members of the Mainstreetalliance.org, launched the "Hate Has No Business Here," campaign in response to anti-immigrant talk from then-candidate Donald Trump and others.