In the shadow of ICE, a St. Paul neighborhood store steps in to feed its community

On a normal Sunday, the aisles of Mexican grocery store Bymore Supermercado in St. Paul are crowded. Families shop together with parents calling out dinner ideas and kids tossing snacks into the cart. “In our culture, it’s like family bonding time. Mom goes with all the kids,” said bookkeeper Vanessa Machuca.

But last weekend, even the bright papel picado and piñatas hanging from the ceiling couldn’t fill the emptiness. Foot traffic plunged to a quarter of Bymore’s typical volume. Families stayed inside their homes, afraid that a quick trip for eggs could put them in the path of federal immigration agents. So the store started going to them.

As U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s presence has become more visible across the Twin Cities, Bymore’s owner, 61-year-old Ramiro Hernandez, has turned his small Mexican grocery into an impromptu delivery operation for immigrant families too frightened to step outside.

“We don’t care how much you need, as long as you get it,” said employee Blanca Garcia, 57, as she shopped for a customer’s delivery order. “We don’t care how far you are.” No delivery fees. No minimum order amount. If a family calls for food, someone at Bymore gets in the car.

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At first, Hernandez and his adult children handled the delivery routes themselves. As word spread, volunteers began showing up, many from outside the neighborhood after seeing posts circulating on social media.

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