CHICAGO (AP) — President Donald Trump’s decision to send National Guard troops and immigration officers to Chicago has stirred unease among Latino residents, leading some to carry their U.S. passports and causing others to reconsider openly celebrating the upcoming Mexican Independence Day.
Even though the holiday is officially on Sept. 16, Chicago hosts over a week of celebrations, attracting hundreds of thousands of attendees. The festivities begin with a parade through the predominantly Mexican Pilsen neighborhood on Saturday and continue with car caravans and vibrant street parties.
This year, however, the usually festive period is overshadowed by Trump’s threats to include Chicago in the list of Democrat-led cities targeted for increased federal enforcement. His administration has pledged to intensify immigration actions in Chicago, replicating the approach taken in Los Angeles, while also deploying National Guard troops to combat crime. Following the June deployment to Los Angeles, Trump similarly dispatched troops to Washington, D.C., in a remarkable law enforcement action in the nation’s capital.
While specific plans for Chicago remain unclear, local opposition is substantial and extends to suburban areas with significant immigrant populations. State and city officials have announced their intention to take legal action against the Trump administration.
Mixed feelings about postponing festivities
The prolonged Mexican Independence Day celebrations highlight the strength and vibrancy of Chicago’s Mexican American community. Mexicans account for over one-fifth of Chicago’s total population and about 74% of its Latino community, according to 2022 U.S. Census estimates.
Organizers of regular community parades and festivals are divided on whether to proceed cautiously or defer events, hoping for a safer environment for a full celebration later. In Pilsen, organizers emphasized prioritizing community safety. Consequently, a downtown Mexican Independence Day festival planned for next weekend was postponed, with organizers citing concerns for public safety as the reasoning behind this decision.
“But also we just refuse to let our festival be a pawn in this political game,” said Germán González, an organizer of El Grito Chicago.
In Pilsen and Little Village, two of the city’s best-known neighborhoods with restaurants, businesses and cultural ties to Mexican culture, residents expressed disappointment at the fear and anxiety the potential federal intervention was instilling within the community during a time of year usually characterized by joy, togetherness and celebration of Mexican American culture and heritage.
Some residents plan on celebrating with precautions
For Galiela Mendez, the decision to postpone El Grito Chicago was both heartbreaking and understandable.
And while the nation’s third-largest city has its problems, including persistent gun violence in some areas, Mendez said Trump and his supporters are maligning Chicago for political gain while disrupting festivities for a large cross-section of the population.
“It feels like a slap in the face,” the 25-year-old said. “I think we are all on edge because it’s the same people that describes our home this way, but they never come here and see it for themselves.”
Vianney Alarcon, 42, said she expects people to be targeted by immigration officials regardless of their legal status.
“They’re just going to catch and ask questions later,” she said.
But in an act of defiance, she’ll be taking part in the festivities, while bringing along her passport.
“I’m still going to celebrate my heritage,” she said. “And I know for a fact that a lot of the people I know and the people commenting on Facebook are going to show up, too. What are they going to do? We’re not being disruptive if we’re celebrating properly.”
An air of uncertainty
Fabio Fernandez, 39, owner of 3W We Will Win, an art and T-shirt company with a residency at a Pilsen streetwear shop, called it “troubling” and “disheartening” that potential federal intervention was impacting Mexican Independence Day celebrations.
“We shouldn’t fear or feel like we can’t walk the same streets that we usually roam,” he said, adding that there was a mood of anxiety and uncertainty in Pilsen.
This anxiety has translated to lower sales and reduced foot traffic for local businesses like his, Fernandez said.
“The small businesses here can feel it, and other business owners will say the same thing,” he said.
Fernandez said supporting local Latino-owned businesses is among the best ways to show support during this time.
“Come back to 18th Street. Support small businesses here. They’re still working hard as hell to keep their businesses alive,” he said.
Alejandro Vences, 30, became a U.S. citizen this year, “which gives me some comfort during this time,” he said while eating pozole verde at 5 Rabanitos, a local Mexican restaurant, on Friday afternoon.
Still, he said the anxiety is palpable.
“For us, our Independence Day has always been a celebration of our culture,” he said. “It’s always been a celebration of who we are. It feels like we don’t get to celebrate our culture in the same way.”
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Finley reported from Norfolk, Virginia. Associated Press writers Melina Walling in Chicago and Morgan Lee in Santa Fe contributed.
