CHICAGO — As former President Donald Trump threatens a sweeping new deportation campaign targeting Democrat-led cities, immigrant communities across Chicago are preparing for the worst — while local leaders and advocates ramp up legal support and community resources to shield vulnerable residents.
Trump’s social media declaration this week called on ICE to launch the “single largest Mass Deportation Program in History,” specifically naming Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York as targets. The message sent shockwaves through neighborhoods already on edge due to earlier immigration enforcement spikes following his January inauguration.
Immigrant Groups Mobilizing Rapidly Across the City
Organizations like the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR), The Resurrection Project, and Organized Communities Against Deportations have begun staffing resource tables outside immigration check-in facilities in Broadview, Pilsen, and Uptown, preparing residents with legal hotlines, pamphlets on rights, and emergency child care instructions.
“They’re moving people quickly without due process,” said Lawrence Benito, ICIRR’s executive director, warning that lawyers are increasingly struggling to locate detained clients due to a lack of transparency in detainee transfers.
Community trainers are also scrambling to meet surging demand for Know Your Rights presentations. Advocates say parents are being urged to memorize hotlines (like 855-435-7693), set up guardianship plans, and carry legal contact info in case of abrupt ICE encounters — some of which have occurred during Father’s Day check-ins.
Legal Concerns Mount Amid Workplace Raid Warnings
While no large-scale workplace raids have been confirmed in recent days, immigrant support groups are monitoring factories, gas stations, and retail hubs where past detentions have occurred. The return of workplace enforcement — which had briefly been paused — has raised fresh alarm.
Immigration attorney Carlina Tapia-Ruano, who’s worked with vulnerable asylum seekers for decades, said she now recommends video court appearances whenever possible, citing the anxiety and unpredictability clients face.
“It’s extremely stressful and distressing,” Tapia-Ruano said. “We’re not just dealing with deportation anymore. We’re dealing with terror.”
Haitian Community Faces Unique Risk as Protections End
Chicago’s Haitian American organizations are warning residents that Trump’s decision to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haiti — in place since the 2010 earthquake — could result in tens of thousands being deported when it expires August 3.
“We’ve heard rumors of ICE presence, but there’s no single neighborhood to monitor,” said Patrick Brutus, a community advocate. “That makes it even harder to track or intervene.”
The Trump administration has also issued broader travel bans, including one barring Haitian citizens and those from 11 other countries, fueling further uncertainty.
Elected Officials Shut Out of Immigration Facilities
Tensions escalated when Reps. Raja Krishnamoorthi and Jonathan Jackson were denied access to a South Loop ICE facility and escorted out by Chicago Police. A day later, Reps. Delia Ramirez, Jesus “Chuy” Garcia, and Danny Davis also attempted to inspect the Broadview detention center, but were blocked by federal officers.
“We’re members of Congress. We have a legal right to be here,” Jackson declared during the standoff. “Right now, the Department of Homeland Security is breaking the law.”
Despite presenting official IDs and congressional pins, the group was told to “email a supervisor” through a gate, and they left without gaining entry.
Chicago Leadership Vows Resistance
In response to Trump’s warnings, Mayor Brandon Johnson pledged to protect the Constitution and defend Chicagoans from federal overreach. Meanwhile, Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) visited ICE’s Chicago office this week, voicing full Republican support for the agency.
The Biden administration has not issued an official rebuttal, but immigration advocates nationwide fear that Chicago could become the next flashpoint following federal deployments in Los Angeles, where military and National Guard forces were recently used to suppress protests.
What do you think?
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