City officials and business advocates are urging residents to spend money at neighborhood shops as immigrant-owned businesses report steep drops in customers and sales following stepped-up ICE enforcement across the city. The push comes after the Department of Homeland Security and ICE launched Operation Midway Blitz in early September 2025, a large-scale effort focused on undocumented immigrants in sanctuary jurisdictions. Advocates say the campaign has sparked fear far beyond the targets of enforcement, chilling daily life, work patterns, and shopping in immigrant corridors from Albany Park to Little Village.
Business owners describe empty dining rooms, canceled appointments, and shorter hours. Parents say they’re keeping children home. Community groups report that workers are staying off public transit and avoiding public spaces where they fear encounters with federal officers. Chicago’s mayor reaffirmed the city’s sanctuary policies and joined faith leaders in public events opposing the crackdown. Protests and community gatherings are planned throughout September.
Economic shock tied to ICE actions
Early data from other cities points to sharp pullbacks in consumer activity when ICE enforcement intensifies. In Los Angeles, stores saw about a 10.7% drop in foot traffic in June and a 10% drop in July 2025, declines local analysts attributed to federal operations and community fear.
Chicago business coalitions say the patterns look similar this month, with immigrant-owned restaurants, groceries, salons, and retail shops reporting double-digit revenue declines since Operation Midway Blitz began. VisaVerge.com reports that these drops typically hit small, low-margin shops first and can ripple outward as suppliers and nearby stores feel the slowdown.
Local chambers warn that the chilling effect could outlast the enforcement surge. That risk is acute in neighborhoods where immigrant-owned businesses:
- Anchor street life
- Hire local workers
- Draw visitors from across the city
Many entrepreneurs are still recovering from pandemic losses. Another shock, advocates say, could push fragile businesses to close for good, leaving vacant storefronts and fewer jobs.
ICE officials defend the operation as focused on public safety and law enforcement priorities. Critics counter that broad fear spreads even when actions are targeted, discouraging families from seeking help, reporting crimes, or using city services. Faith leaders and legal aid groups say they are fielding more calls from worried workers and business owners who are cutting hours or staying home, even when they have lawful status.
“Broad fear spreads even when actions are targeted,” say critics — a dynamic that can reduce trust in public services and lower economic activity across neighborhoods.
Relief is available, but fear blocks access
Chicago and Illinois offer several grant and coaching programs designed to keep small firms afloat, including immigrant-owned businesses. City leaders say these tools were built to reduce barriers, including for undocumented entrepreneurs who often can’t access federal aid.
Yet advocates report that many owners are skipping applications during Operation Midway Blitz because they fear sharing information with government agencies. That hesitation, they say, leaves money on the table when it’s needed most.
Key points for business owners considering help:
- Eligibility: Undocumented owners are eligible for many city and state small-business grants if they can present valid identification such as a state ID, CityKey, consular ID, or passport.
- Core programs:
- Business Interruption Grant
- Microbusiness programs
- Support services:
- Technical help
- Legal clinics
- Coaching in multiple languages
The City of Chicago’s Office of New Americans provides program details, language access, and one-stop events that bundle licensing, tax help, and access to capital. Owners can find current resources through the city’s official site at the Office of New Americans.
According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, pairing direct cash relief with hands-on coaching can keep more small firms open during periods of fear-driven customer declines.
Advocacy and on-the-ground help
Organizations active in relief and outreach include:
- Illinois Business Immigration Coalition (IBIC)
- The Resurrection Project
- Chicago Urban League
These groups are organizing:
- Application workshops
- Legal support
- “Shop local” campaigns encouraging neighbors to spend at immigrant-owned restaurants, markets, and service providers
City officials say consumer support is one of the fastest ways residents can help stabilize their blocks right now.
Sanctuary protections, outreach, and know-your-rights
Sanctuary protections remain in place. Chicago ordinances limit local cooperation with federal immigration enforcement except in cases tied to serious crimes. City leaders reiterated those rules and pledged to keep outreach workers in the field.
Still, the visible presence of federal officers has seeded confusion about where the lines are. Some lawful permanent residents and citizens have reduced trips to stores and clinics out of uncertainty.
Community groups are producing multilingual know-your-rights materials and urging families to:
- Carry identification
- Create emergency contact plans
Steps for business owners: a simple action plan
Advocates recommend this straightforward plan for owners weighing next steps:
- Confirm eligibility for grant or loan programs designed for small or immigrant-owned businesses.
- Gather basic documents:
- Business license
- Proof of sales losses
- Valid ID (state ID, CityKey, consular ID, or passport)
- Apply online or seek help from a trusted partner organization.
- If selected, expect funds to arrive quickly after approval.
Owners worried about privacy can work through established nonprofits that routinely help undocumented clients. Many partners also offer landlord mediation and emergency rental aid to keep commercial tenants in place until customer traffic stabilizes.
Human impact and community stakes
Behind the numbers are families who built companies over years, sometimes decades, only to watch regulars vanish in days.
Examples reported by advocates:
- A taquería owner in Little Village cut staff shifts after lunch hours collapsed.
- A salon operator in Rogers Park said weekend bookings fell by half as clients canceled rather than take the train.
These individual decisions, replicated across hundreds of stores, show how fear alters spending habits overnight.
Business coalitions warn that if the downturn stretches through fall, it will slow:
- Hiring
- Tax receipts
- Neighborhood recovery efforts citywide
They stress that immigrant entrepreneurs start companies at high rates and serve as anchors in corridors that struggled during the pandemic. Losing even a fraction of these shops could set back broader economic gains.
What leaders and residents are doing — and can do to help
ICE maintains that enforcement will continue under federal priorities. Local leaders say they’ll escalate public campaigns, legal challenges, and outreach to cushion the blow on workers and immigrant-owned businesses.
Residents who want to help can:
- Shop locally
- Tip generously
- Post about favorite spots to drive traffic
- Attend faith and civic weekend events designed to draw customers back to neighborhood corridors
For immediate assistance, business owners can email:
- IBIC at [email protected]
- The Resurrection Project (Spanish) at [email protected]
- Chicago Urban League at [email protected]
City and state small-business assistance is also available through official portals and partner clinics. Advocates stress that seeking help now — before a closure becomes likely — offers the best chance to keep doors open.
As ICE enforcement ramps up under Operation Midway Blitz, the stakes extend beyond immigration status — they reach cash registers, payrolls, and the daily life of neighborhoods.
If you can, buy your groceries at the corner market, schedule that haircut, and order dinner from the taquería down the block. Each purchase helps a business survive a difficult season — and keeps a community whole.
This Article in a Nutshell
Operation Midway Blitz, launched in early September 2025, has intensified ICE enforcement in Chicago and triggered widespread fear that is depressing customer traffic and revenues for immigrant-owned businesses across neighborhoods such as Albany Park and Little Village. Reports mirror data from Los Angeles, where enforcement correlated with roughly 10% drops in foot traffic. City and state programs including the Business Interruption Grant and microbusiness recovery grants are available, and undocumented owners can qualify using IDs like CityKey or consular identification. However, fear of government interaction is deterring applications. Nonprofits and city agencies are organizing workshops, legal clinics, and shop-local campaigns to stabilize commerce. Advocates stress quick outreach, pairing cash relief with coaching, and resident support to prevent permanent closures and protect neighborhood recovery.
