CHICAGO (AP) — As encounters with federal immigration agents around Chicago increase, tactics used by activists and immigrant leaders to fight back are also escalating.
The Trump administration has singled out Chicago as its latest mark for immigration enforcement, utilizing traffic stops in immigrant-heavy areas and targeting day laborers outside hardware stores.
“We will not back down,” Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem posted Thursday on X, recirculating dramatic footage of arrests at a suburban Chicago home days earlier.
Activists and local leaders are also defiant, attempting to deter agents, warn residents, and draw attention to a man killed by an immigration officer last week.
As U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement launch a new operation, activists report increased focus on traffic stops in predominantly immigrant and Latino areas. This week, reports of arrests of day laborers have surged, mirroring actions taken by immigration officials in other regions.
“Our neighbors who build, paint, fix, and beautify this city have been the target of these unwarranted attacks,” said Miguel Alvelo Rivera from the Latino Union, which advocates for day laborers. Activists are disseminating information about ICE vehicles and organizing bike patrols to monitor areas where agents are believed to be operating.
In response to increased ICE visibility, residents like Baltazar Enriquez have resorted to using emergency whistles intended to alert neighbors of nearby immigration enforcement activities. Activists hope these measures can mitigate the impact of ICE's maneuvers on their communities.
The situation intensified following the controversial death of Silverio Villegas Gonzalez, a Mexican man shot by ICE during a pursuit. Local officials question the agency's narrative, demanding accountability as ICE ramped up its operations.
