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Barrio Arts Festival in Chicago carries on amid fears of potential ICE raids

Despite fears about possible immigration raids, Chicago's Puerto Rican community turned out Saturday for one of the city's most vibrant festivals.

Barrio Arts Festival is a weekend full of music, food, and Puerto Rican culture.

The two-day event is taking place on the grounds of the National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts and Culture in Humboldt Park.

Earlier this week, the appearance of federal agents at the museum caused fear and confusion.

Surveillance video shows a large group of agents in the parking lot. Two of the men went inside the museum.

Museum officials said the agents were wearing mostly plain clothes, and when asked by staff, the agents refused all requests to show a warrant or any identification.

Museum leadership said they believe the agents were trying to learn about the area ahead of the festival, and they feared U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents would try to make arrests during that event.

The Department of Homeland Security claimed the agents were gathered as part of an unrelated narcotics investigation.

Ald. Jessie Fuentes (26th) said museum leadership told them a staff member heard the agents in the parking lot, talking amongst themselves.

"In conversations among one another, they also made comments about festivals happening in the community, looking at the museum in terms of their exits and entrances for what seemed to be a plan to come and terrorize our residents as they come and enjoy our park and cultural and Latino events in this community," Fuentes said.

Museum leadership said they would train their staff to know their rights and were hiring private security to guard the entrance to the festival. They said they will be prepared to prevent agents from entering if they need to. They said they will also have immigration attorneys on hand.

Puerto Rico is a U.S. territory, and people born in Puerto Rico are U.S. citizens.

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