They are desperate, restless — you can see the anguish in their eyes.
They are vendors from the well-known Salvadoran Corridor, a long-standing area where the Salvadoran community gathers to enjoy typical dishes from their country or buy familiar products.
They’re no longer there. Many have disappeared following ICE’s presence — after two raids, dozens of immigrants have been detained in operations in that area.
“I haven’t gone since June,” says one vendor. “We’re practically trapped; we’re afraid Immigration will catch us. I don’t want to go back to my country yet,” she says. For their safety, Parriva does not identify them by name or show their faces.
“We’ve done everything right — we took the trainings, we pay taxes, we have permits. Why have they forgotten us? We feel abandoned; no one helps us. We are victims of Trump’s immigration operations, and the city, politicians, and organizations have said they would help street vendors, but that hasn’t happened — no one has shown up here,” says another woman.
In recent weeks, ICE agents suddenly stormed the Salvadoran Corridor, creating chaos, fear, and scenes of terror.
“I ran, I fell, and hit my head. Many of my coworkers haven’t come back — they’re too afraid,” says another vendor.
Despite its name, the Salvadoran Corridor isn’t just a commercial or recreational space for the Central American community. There are also Hondurans, Guatemalans, Venezuelans, and people from other countries. Those streets have become an emblem for these communities in Los Angeles. These vendors are the workers who built this space — a place where families once felt safe bringing their children.
“People cry when they visit the little market; even people from New York come and are amazed by the dishes they find there. The Corridor is more than just a commercial area — it’s a place that expresses our countries’ cultures, showing what Los Angeles truly is: a blend of cultures from all over the world,” says one vendor.
For years, Raúl Claros, co-founder and interim executive director of the Salvadoran Corridor Association, has tried to negotiate with the District 1 councilmember for the lease of an empty building in the area so that vendors can be protected from raids. So far, it hasn’t been possible.
That’s why yesterday, Thursday, the members of the Corridor decided to send two letters seeking help — one to Mayor Karen Bass and another to the Salvadoran Consulate in Los Angeles — to see how they might receive support from their country.
“We’re reaching out to the mayor because we haven’t received any response from the District 1 councilmember, Eunisses Hernández. And we’re contacting Consul General Alejandro Letona so that he can intercede with President Nayib Bukele and help ensure the Corridor is protected from these operations,” Claros says.
Both letters reveal the desperation of dozens of vendors and their families as they see their means of livelihood disappear.
“I found two jobs cleaning houses,” says one vendor. “That’s how I manage to pay for the basics.”
“I’m lucky that my husband works — that’s how we’re getting by,” says another.
Their sense of abandonment is evident in each of their voices.
“We’re part of this city too — they can’t just leave us behind. We do volunteer work; we go out to clean up MacArthur Park. We pick up trash, clean, and even deal with contaminated needles left by drug users — we know the risks, but we still do it for the community, for Los Angeles,” says one of them.
All they’re asking for is help. The whole country is in a state of emergency, and they don’t want to believe that, just because they’re Salvadoran or Central American, they’re being denied official support.
“Whenever the city has asked for our help, we’ve been there. Now it’s time for the councilmember or the mayor to help us. The consulate should check in on how we’re doing, but they haven’t even asked how they can help. We feel trapped, and no one is paying attention to us,” says another.
LETTERS
TO MAYOR KAREN BASS
Date: November 12, 2025
From: El Salvador Corridor Association
To: The Honorable Karen Bass, Mayor, City of Los Angeles
Re: Request for City Collaboration on 12th & Vermont Lot for Community Vendor Activation
Dear Mayor Bass,
On behalf of the El Salvador Corridor Association, I am writing to request your immediate collaboration on an opportunity that would significantly improve safety, economic stability, and community organization in one of the most active sections of our corridor.
The City-owned lot located at 12th Street and Vermont Avenue has been abandoned, underutilized, and left vulnerable to blight and disorder for years. Its vacancy stands in stark contrast to the needs and energy of the surrounding community.
We respectfully request that the City of Los Angeles partner with the El Salvador Corridor Association to rent or lease this lot, allowing us to transform it into a regulated, organized, and community-centered space for vendors and small businesses.
This partnership would:
-Turn an unmanaged property into a safe, productive, and culturally aligned community asset
-Provide structured and legal vending opportunities for local immigrant entrepreneurs
-Reduce sidewalk congestion and unregulated pop-up activity
-Increase safety through managed operations
-Support the City’s existing goals of revitalization, economic inclusion, and neighborhood stabilization
This is a practical, immediate solution with measurable impact. The Salvadoran community is ready to lead, invest, and activate this space in a way that uplifts both the neighborhood and the City’s broader mission for equitable development.
We respectfully request a meeting with your office at your earliest availability to discuss a short-term activation plan and a long-term partnership framework.
Thank you for your leadership and for your commitment to the diverse communities that make Los Angeles strong. We stand ready to work with you.
Respectfully,
Raul Claros
El Salvador Corridor Association
To: Consulate General of El Salvador in Los Angeles
Subject: Urgent Request for Diplomatic Intervention to Protect Vendors of the Salvadoran Corridor
Dear Honorable Consul,
On behalf of the Salvadoran Corridor Association, I write to you urgently and with deep concern for the safety, dignity, and economic stability of Salvadoran vendors within the Salvadoran Corridor of Los Angeles.
In recent weeks, our community has experienced an alarming increase in enforcement actions and aggressive tactics directed at workers — many of them Salvadoran immigrants who contribute daily to the cultural and economic life of our corridor. What is happening no longer seems like routine enforcement; it feels punitive, targeted, and profoundly destabilizing for a community already struggling with significant economic hardship.
They are families. They are workers. They are Salvadorans who carry the spirit of our homeland in their daily effort to support their children.
Given the gravity of the situation, we respectfully request that the Consulate communicate directly with President Nayib Bukele and, through him, deliver a clear message to President Donald J. Trump:
The attacks and disproportionate actions against our vendors must stop.
Our corridor represents decades of resilience, entrepreneurship, and Salvadoran pride. The treatment our people are receiving is unacceptable and demands immediate intervention from leaders who understand the value and humanity of this community.
The Salvadoran Corridor Association is prepared to share evidence, testimonies, and any necessary documentation. We are not asking for special treatment — we are asking for justice, dignity, and an end to actions that threaten the survival of our vendors.
We thank you for your leadership and commitment to the Salvadoran diaspora. Your voice carries weight, and right now, our community urgently needs it.
Respectfully,
Raul Claros
Salvadoran Corridor Association
