US
Streets empty in Chicago over fears of arrest under Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown
Look at parts of Chicago, and they look a little different under Donald Trump.
Take for example Little Village, a Hispanic neighbourhood on the city’s south side, where the streets look empty.
Locals told us far fewer people were venturing outdoors as a result of the ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) raids, some of which have taken place here.
The initial crackdown, we are told, is targeting migrant criminals but there is also the prospect of ‘collateral arrest’.
People with, and without, paperwork fear the risk and so are remaining indoors. A community has retreated into the shadows.
Empty streets on Chicago’s south side following the ICE crackdown
Steve says his mother is afraid she could be arrested by immigration officials
One man, Steve, told us of the anxieties of his mother, who came from Mexico years ago and is without the appropriate documentation.
He said: “She crossed the border over here to get a better life for us when we were born, to get education and all. She’s scared to go out there, that she might get picked up.”
We attended one community centre which offers support to migrants. They had placed a notice on the front door giving instructions on what to do if ICE comes calling.
This centre, which helps migrants, has increased its security
There are fears about the consequences of Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown
Advice on what to do if ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) officers come calling
A gate at the entrance is drawn closed, where it wasn’t before. The staff have changed their routine, following a raid round the corner.
Their morning starts with a recce of the roads around the building to check for immigration officials.
Oliber is working in the US legally, but still worries he could be targeted
Inside, we met Oliber, a Venezuelan who is in the US legally, has a work permit and has been employed in construction.
In the current circumstances, he is reluctant to go to his place of work for fear of arrest, even though his paperwork is in place.
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“I feel scared,” he told us. “I go out feeling frightened. I don’t go out now like I used to. I used to go out every day until night-time, I’d work at any time, but now I can’t go out anywhere.”
He added: “There are rumours about migrants and I’m scared, that they might catch me, deport me. My family depends on me. I can’t go out like I used to, I’m scared, I’m scared.”
It is a story of government policy with humans at its heart. Immigration enforcement officials publish figures that show an increase on Joe Biden’s daily average for deportations in his final year.
The choreography of the crackdown, certainly, is eye-catching. Much of America will applaud.
Not so much, the communities centre-stage.