Pedestrian traffic has dropped significantly in Chicago’s predominantly Hispanic community, Little Village, also known as “Midwestern Mexico“, according to a Fox 32 Chicago report, as fears of deportation have grown since the president Donald Trump assumed office on Monday.
“They saw a lot less foot traffic, a lot less shoppers than they usually see,” Jennifer Aguilar, executive director of the Little Village Chamber of Commerce, said of the district to Fox 32. “Weekends are huge here in Little Village, and the number of people that were out this weekend it was significantly smaller than usual.”
Considered the second busiest shopping corridor in Chicago, Little Village stretches for two miles and is lined with nearly 500 businesses, including shops, restaurants and nightlife in the southwest part of the city.
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Businesses in Chicago’s Little Village Hispanic neighborhood have seen less business since Trump vowed to crack down on illegal immigration. (Fox 32 Chicago)
According to Michael Rodriguez, councilman for the 22nd District, which includes Little Village, the once-bustling community isn’t empty just because of the cold weather. Rodriquez told a local station that people are afraid of the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) that conducts large-scale raids in the Mexican-American neighborhood.
“There’s definitely a lot of fear and we think that has to do with this less activity in their neighborhood,” Rodriguez said. “The fear is palpable. The fear is being expressed by our residents. People on the streets are saying that they are afraid that ICE agents will show up on their doorsteps, at their workplaces, at their places of worship or where they go to school. They are afraid of it. “
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While ICE raids are possible under Trump’s new crackdown on illegal immigration, there are no signs yet of deportations, according to Leo Pargo, a community activist who has been patrolling neighborhoods for signs of ICE activity.
“We’ve been patrolling,” Pargo told Fox 32. “We’ve been driving around the Little Village and through Pilsen, looking for ICE agents or any potential raids that might happen. Nothing so far.”
A sign reading “Do not open for ICE” was displayed in the window of a corner store in Little Village, Chicago, on the day Trump took office on Monday. (Erin Hooley)
According to the report, as workers and shoppers stay home, Aguilar said the looming fears will economically affect the district, which reportedly generates $900 million in annual revenue.
“That makes it very difficult to stay afloat,” Aguilar said. “Especially now that it’s just the beginning. It puts them in a state of anxiety, like what’s it going to look like in the next four years?”
“It really hurts everyone who lives here in Chicago that receives services from the city,” Aguilar continued.
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A street vendor sees no customers as consumers stop shopping in Chicago’s Little Village. (Fox 32 Chicago)
As a city of refuge for migrants, Chicago is facing Trump head-on after the president vowed to crack down illegal immigration during his inaugural address on Monday: “All illegal entry will be stopped immediately, and we will begin the process of returning millions and millions of criminal aliens back to the places they came from.”
On Tuesday, Trump’s border czar appointee, Tom Homan, also said that ICE agents are already deployed across the country to conduct operations.
Chicago’s Little Village is a predominantly Hispanic community full of Mexican-American establishments. (Eric Cox/Dan Fastenberg/Alexandra Sarabia/Core News)
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Despite the crackdown, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson vowed to oppose the president’s plans and assured that local city police would not participate in federal immigration enforcement under the Illinois Foundation Act of 2017.
“Chicago stands firm: no matter the circumstances, our commitment to protect and support this city remains unwavering,” Johnson wrote in a social media post Sunday. “We will continue to fight for justice and the safety of all who call this place home.”
