Little Village loses its lively spirits as fear of ICE raids keeps residents indoors

CHICAGO (WGN) — Little Village has not been buzzing with the same energy and spirits it’s famous for in recent days.

“A lot of people [are] just fearing to come to this area,” Ariella Santoyo said.

Driving down 26^th Street, regulars can’t help but notice the change as the once vibrant, predominantly Mexican neighborhood now feels unusually quiet and empty.

“Generally, these corners — you’ll have one vendor per corner, [but] they’re empty. The vendors aren’t out there,” Santoyo said. “You see people not in restaurants. To see it so empty, to find parking is super rare. People are just holding off.”

Santoyo, owner of My Quince World, finds it disheartening to see what’s happening.

Her shop has been a place where families come to search for the perfect Quinceañera dress. It’s a deeply rooted Latino tradition, marking a girl’s coming of age at 15.

She is convinced the Trump administration’s recent threats of ICE and the National Guard coming to Chicago have created fear and uncertainty throughout the community, leaving few people willing to step out.

“There’s been a decline of more than 50% of the business. The streets are empty. People are postponing the appointments they’ve made,” Santoyo said.

Baltazar Enriquez, the Little Village Community Council President, is fully aware people are living in fear.

He says hardworking residents, not only undocumented but also citizens, are terrified of what might happen to them, haunted by what they’ve seen happen in LA and DC.

Enriquez says he’s heard federal forces are set to arrive on Saturday and is preparing for the worst.

If communications systems fail, the council began distributing whistles as part of the Blow the Whistle campaign to protect residents.

“When you see immigration, you blow the whistle to alert the community,” he said. “If you hear a whistle, if you have no legal status, go away. If you have legal status, come this way and be a hero and protect those that are being harassed by ICE.”

Enriquez says if federal forces do arrive in the coming days, he and a group of volunteers will be ready, staging around the neighborhood and near the famous arch to assist people.