Tariffs and Travel Ban Deal Blow to Burmese Community in Indianapolis, the Largest in U.S. – Foxton News
In Indianapolis, Than Hre, a Burmese immigrant and owner of Chin Brothers Restaurant & Grocery, carefully reviews receipts behind his counter—each one reflecting the growing financial strain on his business.
Over the last year, Hre has watched his profit margins shrink dramatically, falling from around 35% to just 10%. The rising cost of shipping and steep tariffs have driven up prices on rice and other essential Burmese ingredients by as much as 40%. This squeeze isn’t unique to his store—it’s affecting many other businesses in Indianapolis, home to the country’s largest Burmese population, estimated at 30,000 by the Burmese American Community Institute.
Import tariffs on goods from Myanmar have soared to 45%, sharply increasing the price of staples like rice and spices and posing serious hurdles for Burmese-owned businesses throughout the U.S.
“We’re in a tough spot,” said Hre, 48. “We can’t raise prices without risking our customer base, but if we don’t, we lose money.”
Beyond the burden of rising tariffs, Burmese families in the U.S. face another major obstacle: a travel ban that effectively halts nearly all immigration from Myanmar. As the country is engulfed in civil war and forced conscription, the ban has disrupted family reunifications and blocked student visas, deepening the sense of separation and loss.
The ongoing conflict in Myanmar has also made it difficult for Burmese Americans to stay in touch with loved ones. Frequent internet outages and government crackdowns have severed lines of communication, said Tha Zi, who owns Mommy Thai, a small family-run restaurant offering Burmese, Chinese, and Thai dishes on Indianapolis’s Southside. “Sometimes we lose Wi-Fi for days at a time,” Zi said, making it nearly impossible to confirm whether family members are safe. Her cousin had planned to come to the U.S. for college but was denied a visa under the travel ban and remains stuck in Myanmar. Stories like hers are common, as families worry about relatives caught in the chaos of war, military drafts, and bombings—while also working to keep their businesses going in Indiana.
To manage dwindling profits, Than Hre has scaled back his inventory, shifting from buying in bulk by the pallet to more modest box-sized orders. Fortunately, he hasn’t needed to lay off staff—his wife and three sons keep the family business running. “They’re paid in extra Burmese food,” he joked.
Most Burmese families in the U.S. arrived as refugees, escaping decades of military dictatorship, ethnic violence, and civil unrest in Myanmar. The earliest arrivals came after the military seized power in 1962, with subsequent waves continuing through the 1980s and 1990s. The largest migration began in the mid-2000s when the U.S. Refugee Resettlement Program prioritized those fleeing religious and ethnic persecution—particularly among the Chin, Karen, and Rohingya communities.
Indianapolis quickly became a hub for many of these refugees, thanks to its affordable housing, steady factory jobs, and a strong presence of Christian churches that offered both spiritual and social support. As a result, the city saw significant secondary migration—newcomers and refugees originally placed in other parts of the country relocated to Indianapolis to reconnect with family, friends, and an already thriving Burmese community.
At Mommy Thai, owner Tha Zi explains how inflation and global trade challenges are affecting her business. Although most of her ingredients are sourced within the U.S., the rising cost of meat and imported noodles for traditional recipes is straining her budget. “Meat prices are really high now, and the noodles we need for authentic dishes have gotten a lot more expensive because of shipping and tariffs,” she said.
Zi does her best to keep prices affordable, knowing that many of her customers are families and students. But keeping up with rising costs is becoming more difficult, she said. To stay afloat, she’s trimmed down her specialty menu items and noticed that some longtime customers are coming in less often—a pattern seen across the restaurant industry as small businesses feel the effects of a projected 7% drop in consumer spending on dining out.
Siam Square, a family-run Thai restaurant in Indianapolis, is facing similar pressure from rising costs and the ongoing travel ban.
Although the ban doesn’t apply to Thailand directly, it still weighs heavily on Siam Square’s operations. Owner Ed Rudisell said that about 70% of his employees are Burmese, mostly Chin refugees. The inability to bring over family members creates emotional stress and uncertainty among his staff. “They don’t have any hope of seeing loved ones from Burma,” he said, describing the growing anxiety that affects his team.
Rudisell has also felt the pinch from inflation and tariffs. Basic ingredients like garlic have nearly doubled in price, jumping from $56 to $93 per case. As a result, he’s raised menu prices twice since January. “Food costs are through the roof,” he said. But instead of cutting portion sizes or compromising quality, Rudisell has chosen to adjust prices, believing customers expect consistency in their meals.
According to him, importers often hike up prices in anticipation of tariffs before they officially take effect. “By the time the policy kicks in, we’ve already paid more,” he said. “The damage is done.”
Zi echoed the concern, saying the combined impact of tariffs and the travel ban—meant to address international security and trade issues—ends up hurting Burmese-Chin families who have already endured displacement, conflict, and economic hardship. The ban halts both immigrant and nonimmigrant visas for people from Myanmar, cutting off chances for family reunification and education.
“My cousin was accepted to college here, but her visa was denied because of the ban. Now she’s stuck in Burma,” Zi said.
Rudisell added, “To completely shut the door and say no one else can come in—it’s just inhumane.”
