Chicago families grateful for Halloween safe spaces amid ongoing immigration enforcement operations
Parents and community leaders in the Little Village and Logan Square neighborhoods created safe spaces for kids to trick-or-treat this Halloween, amid growing concerns about immigration enforcement in the Chicago area.
Last week, tear gas was deployed along a residential street in the Old Irving Park neighborhood as families were getting ready for a Halloween party and parade just blocks away.
Little Village Community Council leaders said they wanted to make sure kids can celebrate along a two-mile stretch of 26th Street with a Halloween parade. They also want them to trick-or-treat safely and without fear, as the Trump administration says immigration enforcement operations will remain in full force through the Halloween weekend.
"This is something that we were hoping that they took a day off, but we see that, no, they're heartless," said Little Village Community Council president Baltazar Enriquez.
On Thursday, Gov. JB Pritzker urged the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to temporarily suspend immigration enforcement operations for the Halloween weekend, but Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem flatly denied the request.
Enriquez said the Little Village community wants to make sure kids can celebrate Halloween without fear.
From Sacramento Avenue to Kostner Avenue on 26th Street, the Little Village Community Council hosted a Halloween parade on Friday afternoon.
Enriquez said it's not just a parade, it's a cultural tradition. Approximately 200 volunteers were be out patrolling to monitor potential immigration enforcement efforts or anything that looks suspicious.
"The volunteers are trained to do a human chain. In case they want to grab a kid or a child, we will block them from getting to them. We will not impede, we will not interfere, but we will not let them grab our children," he said.
The Little Village Community Council said, after speaking with people who live in the neighborhood, they weren't sure how many people would come out for the event.
Enriquez said he's heard mixed reviews. Some said they won't live in fear, while others don't want to take any risks.
The security protocols were noticed and appreciated by parents at the event, held in the same area that is among the hardest hit since the start of Operation Midway Blitz.
"It's nice and there's no violence, everybody is friendly," Brenda, a Little Village parent, told CBS News Chicago. "We have a lot of people on the watch, which actually makes it feel safe as well."
Residents in Logan Square took on a similar effort.
Neighbors this week got permits approved to close off a stretch of North Bernard Street to traffic. Along with Chicago Police officers blocking traffic, volunteers patrolled the surrounding area for federal agents.
"To see these safety precautions put up, it's nice to see people's voices are being heard," parent Jourdan Chavez said about the safety protocols.
The idea was partly thanks to neighbor Liz Tate.
"Halloween is always really special here," Tate said.
The longtime Logan Square resident said recent immigration enforcement operations prompted her to do more for her neighborhood.
"I've seen a lot of things happen in the city over the last couple of weeks that have affected children," Tate said. "And I wanted to make sure children could come out and feel safe."