'You barely see people out': How immigration raids are reshaping daily life in Puerto Rico's Dominican enclave

Puerto Rico's Dominican immigrant community is on edge following a series of immigration raids, which started in January. People have stopped going to work, sending kids to school, or attending medical appointments. What was once a lively barrio is now mostly quiet in the wake of the crackdown.

'You barely see people out': How immigration raids are reshaping daily life in Puerto Rico's Dominican enclave
Juan Vega Paredes, a Dominican man who was arrested by immigration authorities in Puerto Rico in January, poses for a portrait in his home in San Juan, Puerto Rico on June 3, 2025.

Puerto Rico's Dominican immigrant community is on edge following a series of immigration raids, which started in January. People have stopped going to work, sending kids to school, or attending medical appointments. What was once a lively barrio is now mostly quiet in the wake of the crackdown.

(Image credit: Keren Carrión/NPR)