Barrio Arts Fest and Colombian Independence Day Celebration Attract Crowds Amid DHS Concerns; Agents Spotted at Puerto Rican Museum

CHICAGO (WLS) — After spotting Department of Homeland Security agents near one of the locations earlier this week, there were worries about potential immigration raids at two Chicago festivals over the weekend.

Despite those concerns, the Barrio Arts Fest and Colombian Independence Day Celebration both drew big crowds.

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Event organizers, including those involved with the Barrio Arts Festival in Humboldt Park, chose not to cancel due to ICE raid concerns. Instead, they took measures to be ready should those worries prove true.

“What they did was help to united the Latino community,” said Billy Ocasio, director of the National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts and Culture.

In the midst of enjoying Puerto Rican pride was also some lingering concerns.

“Living just around the corner, I feel it’s vital for our community to enjoy celebrating our culture, diversity, and the arts fearlessly,” expressed Rep. Delia Ramirez of Illinois’ 3rd District.

The two-day Barrio Arts Festival in Humboldt Park continued this weekend amid those fears and confusion about possible ICE raids. That’s why organizers said security was hired to keep federal agents from entering the private property at the National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts and Culture, where the event is hosted, while also having immigration attorneys on hand.

The extra precautions come after surveillance video showed a group of Department of Homeland Security officers in the parking lot of the museum on Tuesday.

“At a time where Homeland Security wants to demonstrate or try to portray fear, we’re saying ‘presente, we are here,'” Ramirez said.

Museum officials said the agents refused to show a warrant and believed they were trying to scope out the area ahead of this weekend’s event.

“People said, ‘If they could do this to a Puerto Rican museum – Puerto Ricans are citizens – imagine what they’re planning for us,'” Ocasio said. “We put together protocols to make sure that, if they do show up, how we’re going to handle it. So, other communities are learning from us and preparing from us.”

That includes organizers at the Colombian Independence Day Celebration in Logan Square.

“We’re a little bit afraid,” organizer Guilibaleo Criollo said.

That fear is why volunteers handed out fliers for any undocumented people to know their rights while some other volunteers kept an eye out for any sightings of federal agents.

“Hispanic people, we are really afraid now and we shouldn’t be, so hopefully, next year it will be better for us,” Criollo said.

Back at the Barrio Arts Festival, DHS told ABC 7 that its agents were gathered in the parking lot earlier this week as part of an unrelated narcotics investigation and not for any immigration enforcement.