‘We’re all humans’: Immigrant advocates rally in West Chicago to protest mass deportations

Carrying signs with slogans including “FIGHT IGNORANCE NOT IMMIGRATION,” a crowd of more than 150 people gathered in West Chicago to protest mass deportations Monday, saying the policy unfairly targets Latino residents.

“We’re all humans at the end of the day. No one is illegal,” West Chicagoan Jessica Garnica said.

“This is a new civil rights movement,” Casa DuPage Workers Center Executive Organizer Cristobal Cavazos said. He helped organize the Day Without Immigrants March and Rally, intended to demonstrate the importance of the Chicago area’s Latino community.

Multiple Latinos are “not going to work, not going to school, not buying anything. The majority of people (at the rally) are essential workers in the factories, in the warehouses, in the restaurants,” Cavazos said.

Drivers in passing cars and semitrucks honked as participants gathered at Route 59 near Route 38 before marching to the West Chicago City Hall.

Mexican immigrants “bring a lot of diversity and culture to the U.S.” but are often treated with disrespect, university student Ajimelec Garcia of West Chicago said.

As well as in Chicago, ICE actions have been reported in Deer Park, Elgin, Palatine, Round Lake, Waukegan and West Chicago as part of President Donald Trump’s deportation ramp-up. Federal authorities said their priority is arresting criminals but protesters feared longtime residents with jobs and families will be swept up.

“A lot of people are worried,” Garcia said. “I feel they don’t really honestly care if you have papers, in a way. As long as you’re Mexican they don’t want you here.”

On Fox News Sunday, Trump’s Border Czar Tom Homan cited a 93% decrease in illegal border crossings. “We can’t have strong national security if we don’t have border security. We need to know who’s coming in, what’s coming in, where it’s coming in and why it’s coming in.”

About 5,000 arrests were made in the first week, with the majority being criminals, Homan said.

He added “noncriminals are (being) arrested in sanctuary cities because you force us into the community rather than arresting the bad guy in jail. And, when we find that criminal, he’s most likely with others, and they’re going to go, too.

“If you want to be a sanctuary city, you’re going to get exactly what you don’t want — more agents in the city and more noncriminals arrested,” Homan said.

Marcher Alejandra Jacobo of West Chicago said she’s concerned about loved ones.

“They’ve worked so hard, most of the time for minimum wage,” Jacobo said.

“I know they’re (ICE) doing their jobs, but do not take our good people. Just take the bad ones. These are the ones you should be chasing after.”

Handmade signs sported slogans including “MEXICANS MAKE AMERICA GR8,” MY PARENTS ARE NOT CRIMINALS FOR WANTING A BETTER LIFE,” AND “AMERICA WE ARE YOUR PEOPLE.” Marchers included seniors, teens and kids in strollers.

“We’re staying strong as a community,” Garnica said.

“When you believe in God, he’s the one who’s going to guide us through.”

The rally was organized by the Casa DuPage Workers Center and DuPage Immigrant Solidarity.

https://www.dailyherald.com/20250203/nation-and-world-politics/were-all-humans-immigrant-advocates-rally-in-west-chicago-to-protest-mass-deportations/