Chicago residents adjust as immigration crackdown nears

CHICAGO — The streets in some of Chicago's liveliest neighborhoods are quiet these days. Public school teachers want online learning for families scared to venture out. Houses of worship are also urging people to carry identification documents with them everywhere they go.

As the United States' third-largest city awaits a much-hyped federal intervention, residents are making changes in their daily routines. President Donald Trump has promised that Chicago will see a surge in deportations and National Guard troops as he targets Democratic strongholds. While the feeling of being vulnerable is not new, especially among immigrants, many say this time the fear is deeper and the preparations more drastic.

Even Sam Sanchez, a Chicago restaurant owner who voted for Trump, criticized the president's plans for the city. As a naturalized US citizen from Mexico, he is also taking precautions.

"They're profiling," he said of federal agents. "My wife and I went to a wedding, and I told my wife, 'Bring your citizenship papers.'"

There is a noticeable drop in street food vendors in Chicago's Little Village neighborhood, and businesses report less foot traffic. The largely Mexican enclave features a 2-mile (3.2-kilometer) stretch of businesses and restaurants that is often noted as one of Chicago's highest-grossing shopping districts after Michigan Avenue.

"The streets that were busy are dying down," said Galilea Mendez, 25, who visits from the suburbs.

The neighborhood has been the target of immigration enforcement in the past.

Residents are quick to recall a 2007 daytime raid that locked down a popular shopping mall and increased enforcement in 2019 during Trump's first term. Another wave of trepidation came in January when the Trump administration launched a nationwide operation from Chicago.

However, things feel more intense now.

Laura Padilla, who has sold clothes in the area for over 20 years, said that since Trump's second term, the streets are "dead".

Another longtime clothing merchant in the neighborhood, Xochitl Martinez, said Trump should focus on improving the lives of Latinos.

"He has to support Latinos so we can work, so stores can open, so more sales can happen, so we can prosper more and lift up our families and lift up the country," Martinez said.

Celebrations for Mexican Independence Day, which Chicago commemorates for weeks with car caravans, parades and festivals, have been muted.

Immigration attorneys say their clients are afraid to attend appointments, including in court. Churches with large immigrant populations are starting to notice a decline in attendance.

Fabio Fernandez, owner of 3W-We Will Win, an art and T-shirt company in the predominantly Latino Pilsen neighborhood, said a mood of anxiety and uncertainty permeates. He has seen fewer customers.

"We shouldn't fear or feel like we can't walk the same streets that we usually roam," he said.

Recent arrests

A handful of weekend immigration arrests launched the city's vocal immigrant rights groups into action. Activists said five people in a predominantly Latino area, including a longtime flower vendor, were targeted by armed and masked federal agents.

Federal officials stated that continued Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity led to the detention of 13 individuals with prior criminal arrests on Monday and Tuesday. The Department of Homeland Security on Monday announced a new operation in Chicago because of its so-called sanctuary laws, which limit cooperation between local police and federal agents.

It was unclear what role the operation would play amid the broader threats of federal intervention, but activists and elected officials said it felt like things were ramping up.

"They're gathering steam," Illinois Governor JB Pritzker said on Tuesday.

Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson object to any federal surge and have promised to sue.

Agencies Via Xinhua