NORTH LAS VEGAS, Nev. — On a typical weekend, 20,000 people stream through the metal gates at Broadacres Marketplace, crowding the aisles of the outdoor “swap meet” to hunt for bargains, enjoy snacks, and sip micheladas beneath the desert sky.
Until late June, Broadacres’ familiar buzz had made it a vibrant hub for the city’s Latino community. Now, that energy has vanished—replaced by an eerie silence. Hundreds of vendor booths sit empty behind a chain-link fence, stripped down to bare frames and covered in fabric or tarp.
Except for a lone security guard at the entrance, the place is deserted.
Broadacres Marketplace temporarily shut its doors on June 21, citing fears of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids. In an online statement, the market’s management said the closure was made “out of an abundance of caution and concern for our community.” Broadacres is owned by Greg Danz, president and CEO of Newport Diversified Inc., which also operates two other swap meets in California.
“We don’t want our customers, vendors, or employees to be detained at our business,” the statement read. “Nor do we want to be a hub for shopping and entertainment while the federal government is targeting communities with raids.” Management added that there is currently no timeline for reopening.
In recent months, the Trump administration has ramped up its immigration enforcement efforts, detaining and deporting tens of thousands of people. The sweeping crackdown has sparked protests across the country and exposed the deep fear these policies have instilled in immigrant communities. Though Trump campaigned on deporting violent offenders, ICE data shows that only a small percentage of those detained have violent criminal histories. In fact, half of ICE detainees have never been charged with or convicted of a crime. The Latino community, in particular, has felt the brunt of these actions, including individuals with legal immigration status — intensifying anxiety and uncertainty across the population.
