Crime & Law
Organizers Move Forward With Mexican Independence Day Events Amid ICE Concerns
You might have noticed Chicago looking a little more colorful this week as Mexican flags begin to pop up. Mexican Independence Day celebrations start this weekend, with festivals and cultural traditions kicking off in neighborhoods like Pilsen and Little Village.
Events include the annual parade at the Little Village Arch on Sunday and the El Grito celebration in Pilsen on Monday. They celebrate the anniversary of the start of Mexico’s decade-long fight for independence from Spain.
Despite concerns about federal immigration agents potentially targeting these events, festival organizers are proceeding as planned. They say they are prepared to respond if such situations arise.
Jennifer Aguilar, executive director of the Little Village Chamber of Commerce, said it’s an act of resistance to move forward with these events and that people should stand their ground against deportation threats.
The Little Village Chamber of Commerce organizes the Independence Day Parade, which has been happening in the neighborhood for 54 years.
Aguilar said that after several talks, her team decided not to cancel the event despite the fears.
“It was a very important and difficult decision for us to make,” Aguilar said. “It took us several days to really decide what we were going to do. But for us, it was very important to have conversations with our community partners, our residents, our business owners, our community organizations to get a feel of how they felt.”
Aguilar said organizers are working with law enforcement and public safety officials to protect the community. There will also be rapid response teams and attorneys on the ground to respond if immigration agents are present.
Pilsen’s El Grito event will be at St. Paul Catholic Church. Teresa Fraga, executive director for Comité Cultural Mexicano de Chicago, the group organizing the event, said the church carries cultural significance. It would also be a safe space for people to gather in case federal agents target the area.
“We were invited by St. Paul church, and it is an awesome site,” Fraga said. “It is safer. It’s a sacred space. … Instead of using a bell on the stage, we will have the church bell from St. Paul that will be rung right before the ceremony.”
The event is based on El Grito de Dolores, the historic battle cry for independence. Catholic priest Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla in 1810 called for a movement of sovereignty and liberation from colonialism. He rang his church bell and gave the call to arms, starting the war for independence.
The celebrations come a month after the four-day Latino culture festival Fiesta del Sol, which was also shadowed by concerns about potential ICE raids.
Leo Ortega, Fiesta del Sol’s co-chair, said Fiesta del Sol would be a model for public safety for future celebrations like Mexican Independence Day. He said community organizations like the Pilsen Neighbors Community Council are working to provide additional support over the weekend.
For organizers, putting out a clear message to help people feel safe is a big priority for the events ahead.
“It’s just informing the community of where we’re at exactly today, what the resources are available and how to be able to digest all the information,” Ortega said.
