Migrants in Chicago after Trump raids: ‘We will continue working, but we are afraid’
The crackdown on illegal immigration underscores the crucial importance of foreign labor to the economy of the city and the state of Illinois
Erika’s trip to Houston to see her children hangs in the balance due to her immigration status: undocumented. The same fate has befallen the parents of Yasmin, whose quinceañera party has been canceled, along with the princess dress and ballroom they had booked months in advance. In La Villita, a neighborhood in South Lawndale, the tire repair shop of Iban — also undocumented — has displayed a closed sign since last week, when the Trump administration launched a large-scale deportation operation targeting irregular immigrants in Chicago. This offensive has thrown the daily lives of tens of thousands into turmoil, creating a limbo of fear and uncertainty.
