Last week, 47-year-old Oakmont man living in the United States on a work visa was kidnapped by ICE in front of his wife and eight year old daughter. His name is Jose Flores. He and his wife work for Oakmont Bakery, a business that has repeatedly supported the Trump Administration and the Republican MAGA agenda.
From The Trib
Hariett Flores thought Thursday was going to be like any other day.She and her husband, Jose, were getting ready for work as their 8-year-old daughter, Lily, prepared for school in their Oakmont home.Then, when Jose and Lily left the house on their way to Lily’s school, everything changed. Hariett Flores, 38, said her husband took Lily outside and was warming up the car when he was approached by two Immigration and Custom Enforcement agents. “The ICE agents came up to him, showed no warrant. They just shackled him,” Flores said through an interpreter. “They said he was getting arrested because he was illegal in the country.” When she tried to ask questions, one of the agents told her to shut up because her daughter was present, Hariett Flores said.
Social media is filled with comments about his employer, Oakmont Bakery. The bakery has a history of right wing political affiliations. While there is no evidence they actively cooperated with ICE in this abduction of their employee, there is plenty of proof their actions in previous years paved the way for that very outcome.
Since these events, Oakmont Borough Council is considering a resolution to refuse borough cooperation with ICE.
Oakmont Bakery is working with Senator Dave McCormick’s office. Ahem.
No word if Oakmont Bakery is paying the Flores’ salaries while this unfolds. And continuing their healthcare coverage. Let’s hope.
A lot of people are irate and calling for boycotts of Oakmont Bakery. I get that and more power to them. Defenders of the Bakery claim it wasn’t their fault? I don’t know exactly what that means.
I do know that Oakmont Bakery has a storied history of supporting MAGA Republicans.
- In 2020, they pretended to be surprised by a visit from Eric Trump
- In 2024, then-VP candidate nominee JD Vance visited
Now they are working with McCormick to help a “good” immigrant, but not actively addressing these hideous policies destroying lives across the nation. They’ll fix a mistake, but not address the system. Why would they? If they can host Eric and JD and still be in business, clearly there’s a demand for MAGA fueled pastries without a side of ‘love thy neighbor’ in Pittsburgh.
However, a boycott is not my point – I don’t care what you do. In my opinion, there is nothing Oakmont Bakery could do to undo the trauma that 8 year old child is experiencing. Because they didn’t care enough about her or her family to resist an authoritarian government. How do you fix that, even if her father is released? How do you keep the Flores family and their relatives and neighbors and coworkers safe if you force them to wait on J.D. Vance?
I speculate her birthday cakes came from Oakmont Bakery. Think about that. This is who we lionize for their tortes.
As for Oakmont Bakery, watch what they do, not what they say. See how the money flows to help this family. Ask if they have set up escorts to help employees get to and from work safely. Do they deliver groceries to employees and their families? There are countless examples from Minneapolis, Chicago, Seattle, Los Angeles, Charlotte and beyond of how to keep your employees and your neighbors safe.
Serving food to Nazis is not one of them.
So, no, that’s not my point.
But it is a come to Jesus moment for businesses through the region. You, my friends, have to make a choice. There’s no middle ground. This is not about plucking ‘bad’ actors from American immigrant communities. If you choose to believe 73,000+ detainees are all criminals and threats to your family, you are foolish and ignorant. 75% have no criminal history. That’s a pretty dam big margin of error.
It is a a straightforward question – will your business work with ICE or refuse? Will you serve them sandwiches and coffee and pasta? Or will you turn their agents away to find a meal? Will you accept request to service their meetings and gatherings or will you say “no”? Will you take a bold stand and announce your support/resistance to the public? Will you creep along the edges trying to have it both ways?
Will you should moral courage or capitalist cowardice?
I’ve had business owners tell me that they are required to provide service to everyone. That is not true. Businesses have the right to refuse service unless it is targeting a protected class. You can’t refuse to bake a cake for the gays, you can refuse to serve hoagies to gun wielding Nazis even if they bring their own pepper spray. Nazis and employees of the US Federal Government are not protected classes.
The only recrimination you face is retaliation by the Trump Administration if he thinks you embarrassed him – and that just proves the point, right? He’s going to say your food sucks and you are a terrible business owner and move on. Or he might send his goons to raid you.
If you do side with ICE – there’s no neutral – you can expect the scorn of your neighbors, calls for boycotts, and the perpetual shame of the shekels you accept in return for your humanity.
Lots of people will be watching. Lessons have been learned. You’ve asked us to spend our money with you. Now we need you to do the right thing or experience the natural consequences.
So be proactive. I found this information at the National Immigration Law Center
Before an Immigration Action
- Connect with an immigration response network in your area.
- Find a qualified immigration lawyer now – before anything happens.
- Make a written Response Plan. Practice your plan with the workers. Practice what to say, what to do.
- Provide a Know-Your-Rights training for all your staff.
- Train your staff:
- Do NOT run away if ICE agents show up. Running away could give ICE a legal reason to arrest workers.
- Do NOT give ICE agents permission to enter your workplace.
- Do NOT answer questions or give any information.
- You and the workers have the right to stay silent and to ask to talk to a lawyer.
- Give the workers a list of lawyers or organizations that can provide high quality, free or low-cost immigration legal advice.
They key is to be prepared. Connect with lawyers and organizations now rather than when your story is in the TribLive. Like everything else you do in your workplace, you need a plan.
If you opt not to deny service to ICE and allow them into your establishment or send your staff into their offices to deliver and serve, you are making an ethical decision that has ramifications for everyone in this region. If people call you out, if they stop coming to your business, if they promote your competition, leave negative reviews, call your staff – if people actively resist your support of ICE, that’s on you.
Because you know what’s coming, what’s already here to be honest. You have some days or weeks to make your plan.
I must say the MAGA traitors are out in full force on social media. I made a concise version of this post today and I’ve been lambasted all day.
You are not a peacemaker, just an appeaser. Don’t fool yourself. Instead, you can follow examples below – provide food, shelter, and support to protesters. Keep your employees safe. Keep medic equipment in your business. Distribute water. Make defiant shirts.
Maybe even go out in the street and call out the Nazis who are going to hurt your bottom line.
ICE has ramped up their kidnappings today in Pittsburgh. Lots of municipalities and law enforcement will protect them. We know about them, we read the maps and charts. What is unknown is where you will stand?
And who you will stand with.
I already know the businesses I patronize who support Trump and MAGA, who believe the narrative. I’m sure they will let me down. I’m concerned about a few businesses that will claim neutrality. But at the end of the day, I can shop elsewhere. I can eat elsewhere. I can let go of friendships and meet people who share my values. Easy to find – they have a whistle. I have three whistles.
So let it be known that the ‘Oakmont Bakery Effect’ is a permanent Pittsburgh fixture. Complete with denial.
