Thousands of protesters marched in front of the Trump tower at sunset in downtown Chicago on Saturday, in protest of the threats of US President Donald Trump to flood the city with immigration agents.
The protest occurred after the fear of an increase in deportations cool the normally bustling celebration of Mexico’s independence day, while Trump pointed out on social networks its intention to intensify the application of immigration laws.
In a publication in social networks where he presented himself as an American military officer of the movie “Apocalypse Now”, Trump wrote: “I love the smell of deportations in the morning”, about an image of the uniformed president, proven with the flames and the horizon of Chicago.
For many protesters, threats were personal.
Tracy Quinonez, 50, said his father, who died recently, arrived in the United States from Guatemala as a refugee. “I’m here for him,” he said. “It’s not about criminals who are being taken from the street. These are families that are being destroyed.”
Quinonez, who, like many other protesters, waved the blue stripes and the red stars of the Chicago flag, told Reuters: “They really were wrong in the city.”
The protesters also opposed Trump’s threats to deploy National Guard troops to combat crime in Chicago, which would constitute an extraordinary effort to militarize the third largest city in the country. However, on Wednesday, Vice President JD Vance said there were no “immediate plans” to send the National Guard to Chicago.
Trump, Republican, mobilized troops in Los Angeles and Washington, DC, cities that, like Chicago, are governed by Democratic politicians.
Peg Devlin, 76, declared on Saturday that he marched against what he called the rise of fascism, which, he said, his mother had fled to Europe.
“I have never experienced what my mother experienced as a German Jew,” said Devlin. “I will not stay with crossed arms seeing how that happens here.”
Lisa Matuska, 39, toured the route with her two young children because, according to her, “I think they need to see that there is something that you do not agree and are angry, the physical presence is a good way to prove it.” He also praised the organizers of the event for their safety.
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Celebrations by Mexico’s independence in Chicago overshadow
In other parts of the city, the threat of deportations had a discouraging effect in a normally festive month in which numerous parties of the Independence Day of Mexico are celebrated throughout Chicago.
A parade to commemorate the holiday in the historic Mexican neighborhood of Pilsen became calm and nervous.
In a break with traditional celebrations, folk dancers, dressed in bright jewels and undulating multicolored dresses, distributed brochures of “know your rights” to a little crowd.
The horses carried the colors of the flag of Mexico in their tails, while their riders carried neon orange whistles around their neck in case they needed to alert the attendees about the presence of agents of the Immigration and Customs Control Service (ICE). On the margins, volunteers also monitored the arrival of ICE.
“This place would normally be full,” said Eddie Chávez, a resident of Pilsen of a lifetime, while waving a Mexican flag in a lonely row of garden chairs along the parade route. “Now it is empty, like a ghost people.”
The governor of Illinois, JB Pritzker, a democrat and a staunch critic of Trump, declared Tuesday that he believed that ICE raids would coincide with the Festivals of Mexico’s Independence Day scheduled for this weekend and next. Some Mexican festivals in the Chicago area were postponed or canceled, opens in New tab, in fear of migratory raids.
“We are afraid, but here we are,” said Isabel García, dancer of the Saturday parade. “We are Mexican. We have to celebrate, and they will not stop us.” The Customs Immigration and Control Service (ICE) did not respond to the requests for comments on whether he had sent more agents to Chicago, and residents claimed not to have seen a significant increase in the application of immigration laws so far.
In addition to Chicago, Trump suggested the possibility of deploying troops in Baltimore, Maryland, governed by Democrats, as well as in Louisiana, governed by Republicans.
Last month, Trump deployed National Guard troops in Washington, DC, stating that “they would restore law, order and public safety.” The data of the Department of Justice show that crime in the capital of the country reached its lowest level in 30 years last year.
The president sent 4,000 members of the National Guard and 700 US Marines in active duty to Los Angeles in June, against the will of California Democratic governor.
With EFE information
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