Chicago on High Alert Amid Immigration Raids as Advocates Mobilize Support

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Chicago's immigrant community faces heightened anxiety as U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) conducts targeted immigration raids throughout the city. Residents report increased fear, with many undocumented individuals opting to stay indoors and sign powers of attorney to navigate potential detention scenarios, according to local advocates.

US Representative Delia Ramirez emphasized the community's resilience, stating, "They want to instill fear tactics... but what does the community do? We stand up and we fight back." The raids, leveraging resources from various federal agencies, aim to apprehend as many as 2,000 individuals under Trump's administration's guidance on immigration enforcement.

Local organizations are responding by providing Know Your Rights workshops and legal assistance, fostering a sense of solidarity. However, the anxiety extends to families, as Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul noted that both legal residents and undocumented immigrants have faced disproportionate impacts due to racial profiling amid these operations.

Parents are particularly rattled by recent sightings of immigration agents near schools, further complicating the community's efforts to maintain normalcy amid the escalating crackdown.

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