The sanctuary cities of Chicago and Philadelphia have canceled their annual Cinco de Mayo parades, citing fears of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids concentrating on legal unlawful aliens.
The choice, introduced by native organizers, is being slammed as a blatant try and harbor lawbreakers and undermine federal immigration enforcement below President Donald Trump’s renewed crackdown on unlawful immigration.
In Chicago, the Cermak Highway Chamber of Commerce and Casa Puebla pulled the plug on the Little Village parade, a long-standing celebration of Mexican-American tradition, claiming the group is “frightened” by ICE’s efforts to apprehend unlawful aliens.
Hector Escobar, president of the chamber, mentioned in an announcement,”Our group could be very frightened due to the raids and the menace that ICE has imposed on the households that work tirelessly to supply a greater future for his or her youngsters.”
“Our group has confronted bullying and prosecution and aren’t indulging in group actions, due to this fact we really feel that there’s nothing to rejoice.”
Escobar instructed ABC News, “See, a few of them, they don’t even wish to go to work and a few of them, they’ve taken a excessive threat. And, positively, it’s not a lot to rejoice.”
“We don’t wish to have any confrontation or having folks taken away from the competition, from the parade to custody… We may have completed it with the 50% of the sponsorship, which is nice, nevertheless it’s not, once more, about cash. It’s simply extra concerning the security,” Escobar added.
Equally, Philadelphia’s Carnaval de Puebla, a celebration of Mexican tradition scheduled for April 27, was canceled because of issues over potential ICE enforcement actions.
“Individuals had been calling in to say, ‘Sadly, we’re not going to have the ability to make it,’” said occasion committee member Olga Renteria. “Particularly when individuals are coming from California, Chicago, Mexico. Total households are coming, so that they don’t wish to be separated.”
President Trump’s administration has made no secret of its intent to focus on sanctuary cities like Chicago and Illinois, the place native officers brazenly defy ICE detainer requests.
Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, warned Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker that non-cooperation wouldn’t be tolerated. “In the event that they wish to harbor criminals, they’ll face penalties,” Homan declared at a latest GOP occasion, vowing to prosecute officers who impede federal efforts.
Since January, ICE has ramped up operations nationwide, arresting hundreds of unlawful aliens, together with these with violent legal information.
