GONZALES -- Border Patrol agents have been spotted in and around the capital area as the Trump administration's immigration crackdown continues in South Louisiana.

The Ascension Parish Sheriff's office confirmed to WBRZ that border patrol agents conducted operations in the Gonzales area, with several viewers sending in videos of people being detained outside Ideal Market along Highway 30.

Businesses that cater to Hispanics are noticing a drop in activity. Don Beto, a restaurant on Highway 44 in Gonzales, posted on Facebook that it would close on Wednesday due to uncertainty surrounding the Hispanic community right now.

WBRZ spoke to Ideal Market customer Tiffany Johnson, who said she shops there about once or twice a week. She said that on Wednesday, it felt very different in the store.

"Oh, totally different because the store is usually packed with workers and customers. There's no one in the bakery. There's no one in the kitchen area," Johnson said.

Johnson says she's noticed that many people in the area are scared.

"They are frightened because these people don't know who they're gonna grab next, and they're popping up any and everywhere, so who's the next one they're gonna grab?" Johnson said.

In Baton Rouge, Bishop Michael Duca of the Catholic Diocese put out a letter regarding the ongoing raids by Border Patrol agents.

"The letter on Sunday gave dispensation to those in the community. That dispensation basically means that they don't have to go to mass if they feel threatened or not," Diocese Communications Director Ben Smith said.

All of this is occurring with less than three weeks until Christmas, one of the most joyous times of the year for the Christian faith.

"That's why we wanted to try and find a way to ensure that those families who may feel a little frightened this time of year can still feel that they are welcomed and cared for," Smith said.

Smith told WBRZ that the diocese has received a lot of feedback regarding the letter.

"The church has always cared about helping and serving the most vulnerable in our communities, and we don't feel that caring for the vulnerable conflicts with the government's obligation to uphold our borders," Smith said.