Two months after starting Operations against immigrants with illegal status in ChicagoIn Illinois, the city remains in its kind of normalcy Arrests, complaints and gradual reactivation Of business. With more than 614 people were arrestedResidents are trying to adapt to the new context.
In early November, several Border Patrol agents who had been in Chicago so far were expelled They moved to Charlotte, North Carolinato start a new process to stop “Criminal illegal immigrants” Who came to the state.
And with this transferThe severity of arrests decreased It features helicopter tracking and unmarked off-road trucks. however, Activists confirm that arrests continue Agents are viewed up to six times a day.
“This is not over”He said Brandon Leeof the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, in an interview with AP. “I don’t think it’s over.”
Areas with Street vendors They are gradually regaining their activity as the number of arrests decreases. Andrea MelendezThe owner of Pink Flores Bakery and Café said she saw an increase in sales this week after struggling with expenses for months.
“As a new company, We were a little scared when we saw the sales decline.He said. “But this week I have more hope that things will get better.”
The little villagethe city known as The “Mexican Capital of the Midwest” in ChicagoIt was one of the areas most affected by the raids. the Feeling watched This prompted many merchants to change their working hours.
“The days when there was immigration I came to work twicebut more like about 5 hours, no more. Always scared and turning everywhere“, revealed Ilario Gutierrez Fernandez, a street vendor, in an interview with Telemundo.
After scaling down operations, Gutierrez Fernandez began taking to the streets. However, he pointed this out Customers decreased Because many residents prefer to avoid public places. “It is no longer sold as it was before“, he pointed out.
The number of lawsuits is increasing with each passing day. At the beginning of November, A federal judge issued a preliminary injunction against Federal immigration agents For use of force during Operation Midway Blitz.
Gregory BovinoThe Border Patrol commander testified in court for several hours about his use of force and defended his strategies as “appropriate and necessary.” However, the judge ruled that such tactics were not necessary.
Another complaint came from People detained at the ICE facility in Broadview, outside Chicago. They gave general accounts of conditions at the site, including full toilets and overcrowded cells.