Little Village in Chicago, with its majority of Latino residents, is called the “Mexico of the Midwest”. It looks like a ghost town because of the fear of deportation that increased since Donald Trump was inaugurated on Monday.
Jennifer Aguilar is the executive director of the Little Village Chamber of Commerce. Jennifer Aguilar said this weekend’s attendance was much lower than usual.
Little Village is Chicago’s second busiest retail district. The two-mile-long district has over 500 businesses, including restaurants, shops, and nightlife venues.
According to Michael Rodriguez, an alderman for the 22nd ward, which includes Little Village, the once-bustling community isn’t empty due to just the cold weather. Rodriquez said to the local station that people are in fear of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) conducting large raids in the Mexican-American neighborhood.
Rodriguez stated, “There’s a lot of fear in the air, and we think this is because of the lack of activity in their neighborhood. The fear is palpable. Residents have expressed their fear.”
Leo Pargo is a community activist who has been monitoring the neighborhood to see if there are any signs of ICE activity. According to him, although ICE raids may be part of Trump’s crackdown on illegal immigrants, deportations have not yet been reported.
Pargo stated, “We have been patrolling.” “We’ve been driving around Little Village, and through Pilsen, looking for any ICE agents or any potential raids that would be happening. So far, nothing.”
Aguilar stated in the report that the economic impact will be felt by the district, which generates over 900 million dollars per year.
Aguilar stated that it was difficult to stay afloat. Particularly now, as it is just the beginning. People are worried about the future.
Aguilar said, “It’s hurtful to anyone who lives in Chicago and uses city services.”
Chicago, a city that was once a haven for migrants, is now in direct conflict with Trump after he promised to fight illegal immigration during his inaugural speech. “All illegal immigration will be stopped immediately, and we will start the process of returning millions and millions of criminal immigrants to their places of origin.”
Tom Homan stated that ICE agents had already been deployed throughout the country for operations.
Chicago mayor Brandon Johnson has pledged to oppose President Trump’s plans for cracking down on illegal immigration. Johnson assured local police they would not cooperate with federal immigration enforcement as per the 2017 Illinois Trust Act.
“Chicago stands strong: regardless of the circumstances, our commitment to protecting and supporting this city remains unwavering,” Johnson wrote in a social media post on Sunday. “We will continue to fight for the justice and safety of all who call this place home.”