Taco Bowls for Immigrant Support: Berkeley Restaurant Challenges Immigration Order with Fundraising Campaign

Taco Tuesday just received a spicy twist.

President Donald Trump's travel ban has sparked Comal, a Berkeley restaurant, to sell taco bowls in exchange for money that will be used to support immigrants and refugees from the seven Muslim-majority countries impacted by the executive order.

The eatery's head chef, whose ancestors migrated to the United States from the former Soviet Union, spearheaded the idea. Andrew Hoffman, the restaurant's co-owner, helped put the plan into action.

"It's really about our staff," Hoffman said. "Half of the 70 people who work here are immigrants, and we want them to know that we are standing with them, and this is a small way that we can use our influence as a restaurant to bring some money and attention to a good cause."

Comal plans to dish out the plates every Monday and Tuesday. The proceeds from each sale will specifically benefit the East Bay Sanctuary Covenant, a nonprofit group that issues legal guidance and supportive services to immigrant and refugee communities.

Aside from tackling Trump's executive order, the campaign also appears to take a slight jab at the president directly. During his campaign, the Republican candidate on Cinco de Mayo tweeted a picture of him enjoying a taco bowl.

The status of Trump's travel ban remains in limbo as of Saturday. A federal judge on Friday temporarily blocked the order, allowing visa holders from the seven majority-Muslim nations to cross the United States' borders without trouble, but the Justice Department on Saturday filed an appeal to that ruling.

Contact Us