At La Imperial Bakery in Hillsboro, October typically brings a rush of customers eager to celebrate Día de los Muertos, the Mexican Day of the Dead. They buy bags of pan de muerto, conchas and other pastries galore.

Not this year.

Over the past few weeks, as the federal government has ramped up immigration enforcement and agents have seized people from cars, streets, apartment buildings and parking lots across the Portland metro area, sales at the family-owned bakery have plummeted by at least 40 percent, said owner and lead pastry chef Moises Pineda.

“The clients are not coming,” Pineda said. “We are really worried.”

The bakery, which sells breads, specialty cakes, desserts and drinks, has been a community fixture for 15 years. At the end of July, its owners opened a second location i

See Full Page