It appears no one is safe from public ire when it comes to the nation’s debate over immigration, not even a popular local bakery.
Marc Serrao, co-owner of Oakmont Bakery, said his business has faced harassment on social media and via telephone since the arrest of Oakmont resident Jose Flores by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents last week.
Social media commenters have called for a boycott of the bakery, claiming the business, where Flores works, was somehow to blame for his arrest.
A flood of phone callers to the business are making similar claims, labeling the bakery and its employees “fascists” and “Nazis.” It has forced the bakery to change its policy when dealing with some callers.
In reality, Serrao and the bakery have been working hard to help Flores. Serrao’s son was the first person Flores’ wife, Hariett, called when her husband was arrested.
“We jumped into action,” Serrao said. “We started making calls to find out where he was and what was going on.”
He connected Flores’ family with an immigration attorney and has been helping them with legal fees.
“We didn’t speak publicly because it’s not about us,” Serrao said. “It’s about (the Flores family).”
The business Thursday was forced to post a statement on its website, condemning Flores’ arrest and asking its customers to find ways to support the family.
Serrao reached out to various local lawmakers to inform them of the situation. He said they stepped up along with community members offering to help in any way they can.
Most of the outrage directed at the bakery comes from people accusing the bakery owners of working directly with ICE and falsely claiming they turned Flores in to authorities.
None of that is true, Serrao said.
But that doesn’t seem to matter on social media, where some are calling for a boycott of the bakery in the name of what they deem to be justice, or to the angry folks who have called the bakery directly to complain.
“People, they right away go into political stuff,” Serrao said. “To us, this has nothing to do with politics. It’s about family and fairness.”
He said his employees who take phone call orders have been subjected to name calling, accusations and degradation to the point of tears. He has told them to hang up if a caller becomes aggressive.
When asked what advice he’d give those making harassing phone calls to the bakery, Serrao said: “I would say write a letter to your congressman. Write a letter to your representative, to your mayor.
“Do something that would help Jose. This doesn’t help.”
The bakery isn’t a stranger to politics.
In October 2020, during President Donald Trump’s first term in office, son Eric Trump made a surprise visit to the bakery and, in August 2024, during Trump’s campaign for a second term, running mate and now Vice President JD Vance also visited after a campaign stop in Lower Burrell.
During the 2024 campaign, the bakery produced cookies with images of both Trump and his opponent, then Vice President Kamala Harris.
