Pilsen El Grito Carries On at St. Paul’s Church Amid ICE Crackdowns

(First, identified linkable resources in order of appearance:
1. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) — maps to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) ERO page
2. “Operation Midway Blitz” — executive ICE enforcement program (no dedicated .gov page found; skip linking)
3. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) later in article — already linked once at the end; only first mention should be linked)

(CHICAGO, ILLINOIS) The heart of Chicago’s Mexican Independence Day celebrations beat inside a Pilsen church this year as a community-led El Grito rang out against the backdrop of an ICE crackdown that has unsettled immigrant neighborhoods across the city.

On the night of September 15, 2025, hundreds gathered at St. Paul’s Catholic Church to shout “¡Viva México!” and mark the start of Independence Day, even as federal enforcement surged under “Operation Midway Blitz,” a Trump administration initiative targeting Chicago for stepped-up immigration arrests and patrols.

Organizers canceled the large Grant Park El Grito Festival earlier in the month amid fears of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity near celebration sites and along popular car caravan routes. In Little Village, the parade moved forward, though crowds were smaller than past years and volunteers fanned out with pocket cards on rights during encounters with authorities. Community monitors reported visible ICE patrols around key gathering spots.

As of September 16, no major enforcement incidents tied to the Pilsen service or Little Village parade had been confirmed, but the threat felt close for many families deciding whether to attend, watch online, or stay home.

City leaders, public events, and safety measures

City leaders walked a fine line between staging public events and addressing real safety concerns. Mayor Brandon Johnson, along with Ald. Michael Rodriguez of the 22nd Ward, appeared in Little Village to signal support for immigrants’ right to celebrate.

At the same time, the city repeated measures first used in 2024:

• Controlled access points downtown during peak hours
• ID checks or proof of event attendance
• A heavier security footprint aimed at easing traffic snarls and discouraging dangerous caravans

Officials said these measures were not immigration checks, but the atmosphere remained tense as rumors spread on neighborhood chats about possible checkpoints and targeted stops.

Heightened enforcement around El Grito

“Operation Midway Blitz” has reshaped the tone of public life in immigrant-heavy parts of Chicago since early 2025. Advocates and attorneys tracking the wave report that ICE has:

• Increased patrols in neighborhoods known for celebrations
• Conducted more workplace operations
• Coordinated more often with other agencies near key gathering spots

While Chicago has maintained its sanctuary city limits on formal cooperation—such as not honoring most civil immigration detainers—residents still report more federal vehicles, more plainclothes sightings, and sharper anxiety before major cultural dates.

The El Grito holds deep meaning in Chicago, home to one of the largest Mexican communities in the Midwest. For decades, celebrations stretched from Grant Park to 26th Street, with music, flags, and families crowding sidewalks late into the night. This year’s shift to smaller, faith-based or community-hosted events reflects a chilling effect felt from Pilsen to Back of the Yards:

• Parents weighing a child’s first parade against a possible stop
• Teen drivers debating whether a flag on the window could draw attention
• Elderly residents choosing livestreams over the plaza

Community leaders framed attendance as both tradition and quiet resistance. “We have to celebrate, we have to stand up because our history, our roots and our culture, it just runs through our veins,” said Teresa Fraga, who leads El Comité Cultural Mexicano de Chicago.

At St. Paul’s, families filed in with candles and small flags. The church offered more than a program; it offered a sense of shelter. Volunteers posted “know your rights” flyers in English and Spanish near the doors, listing basics like the right to remain silent and the need for a judicial warrant to enter a home.

Lawyers and trained monitors also spread out along parade routes and around popular gathering points. Their role was simple:

1. Watch and record
2. Share hotline numbers
3. Be ready to connect a family to counsel if an encounter escalated

Advocates coordinated messaging before September 15, encouraging people to carry some form of ID, pre-plan rides, and save key phone numbers in case of separation. Some churches and groups set up livestream links for those who chose to join from home.

City measures and community response

The city’s emergency management team prepared for the weekend with road closures at known caravan intersections and access points downtown that required proof of residency or event attendance. Officials said the steps were meant to control gridlock and keep emergency routes clear after recent years of spontaneous car lines with burnouts and blocked intersections.

While these are not immigration checks, the optics of any checkpoint can weigh on mixed-status families. Advocates urged police and traffic workers to be mindful of that fear.

Community steps taken this season included:

• Moving some events to trusted venues like churches and community centers for perceived safety
• Keeping the Little Village parade, but with increased outreach and visible legal support
• Offering hybrid options—both in-person and virtual—for people who prefer to stay off the streets
• Conducting post-event debriefs to map any enforcement patterns and improve next year’s plans

Event attendance told a story of cautious participation. Pilsen’s church event drew “hundreds,” well below the thousands who typically fill Grant Park. Little Village’s turnout remained in the thousands but down from past years. For many, simply showing up felt like a statement. “We’re not going to let anyone scare us,” said parade spectator Vicente Hernandez, as families around him waved flags and kept an eye on side streets.

From the federal side, ICE has not released arrest totals tied to Independence Day gatherings, but community monitors described a climate of intimidation: more patrols where people expect to celebrate and increased targeted actions earlier in the year.

Supporters of the stepped-up approach argue it’s about enforcing the law and removing people with final removal orders or criminal records. Critics counter that street-level visibility near cultural events spreads fear far beyond those targets, pulls families back from public space, and erodes trust that local safety depends on.

According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, similar patterns have appeared in other cities after high-profile enforcement pushes. Their findings include:

• Festivals scale down, shift indoors, or move online
• Long-run risk that families avoid schools, clinics, and voting sites
• Civic life can be reshaped well beyond a holiday weekend

Practical advice from advocates

For now, advocates’ practical advice is direct and simple:

• Carry some form of ID and a card listing a trusted contact and attorney number
• If ICE approaches, you have the right to remain silent; ask to speak with a lawyer
• Do not consent to a search; if at home, ask for a judicial warrant signed by a judge
• Keep copies of important documents in a safe place and share an emergency plan with family
• Consider watching events from designated safe zones or through official livestreams if you feel unsafe

Legal, civic, and community outlook

Chicago’s status as a sanctuary city remains intact, but it does not stop federal agents from acting within federal authority. That dual reality—local limits on cooperation alongside federal operations—has defined this season’s choices for families and organizers.

City officials say they will continue to manage traffic and crowd safety, while leaving immigration enforcement to federal agencies. Advocates plan to keep legal teams in the field at major events through the fall.

The history of Mexican Independence Day in Chicago is one of growth and pride, from small gatherings decades ago to large, city-backed festivals. This year’s retreat from Grant Park to parish halls marked a stark turn, recalling earlier enforcement waves under both Democratic and Republican administrations. Yet the sound of El Grito still rose in Pilsen, a reminder that culture can bend without breaking, even when pressure mounts.

Looking ahead to the rest of 2025, enforcement in Chicago is expected to remain high, especially around major cultural or political moments. Organizers say they will keep using flexible plans:

• Mix in-person and online elements
• Choose secure venues
• Strengthen rapid-response legal teams

City Hall may also refine traffic rules to separate public safety steps from anything that could look like immigration screening. Federal policy could shift after national politics settle, but communities are focused on what can be done now: keep people safe, keep them informed, and keep traditions alive.

For official information about ICE enforcement and processes, readers can review the agency’s Enforcement and Removal Operations page at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) — ERO.

Community members who want traffic updates and entry-point details for large public events should follow the City of Chicago’s emergency alerts and event advisories. Advocacy groups, including the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, continue to offer hotlines, legal clinics, and training sessions on rights during encounters.

At St. Paul’s, the final echoes of the Grito lingered as families stepped back onto 22nd Place, some heading to small gatherings, others to cars with folded flags on back seats. The night closed without incident. It was both ordinary and brave: a quiet show of faith, a measured step into public space, and a promise that next year, whenever and wherever the El Grito is heard in Chicago, the community will be ready.)