Some cities have scaled back or even canceled Cinco de Mayo celebrations due to concerns about ICE raids and deportations.
Hector Escobar, who leads Casapuebla and the Selmac Road Chamber of Commerce in Chicago, shared with CNN on Monday that many in his community feel “very scared” when out in public, with some even contemplating a return to Mexico.
He remarked, “Our people are very scary. Honestly, they don’t want to go to work, but they have to support their families. If both people in a household worked, now only one is.” Escobar pointed out that the fear led to the cancellation of the Cinco de Mayo Parade in Little Village, a small area in Chicago.
“What about the parade? The festival? When you’re scared to even go to work, there’s a sense that there’s nothing to celebrate,” he noted. “It really came down to money for us. We want the nation to recognize those who have no criminal history. We’ve been here for 45 years.”
“Trust me, some are already thinking about going back to Mexico,” he continued. He added that Puebla Governor Alejandro Almenza plans to establish an office in Chicago to assist anyone wishing to return to Mexico or help Mexican children enroll in schools there.
Chicago has been designated as a “sanctuary city,” which means local authorities do not collaborate with the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency (ICE) regarding federal immigration policy.
Unidosus, the largest Hispanic civil rights group in the U.S., found that 43% of Latino voters feel anxious about the possibility of immigration authorities arresting individuals, even those who are U.S. citizens.
Philadelphia also canceled festivities. Olga Renteria, the festival organizer for El Carnaval de Puebla, reflected on how attendees were more cautious this year during the traditional April celebration of Mexican culture.
In Oregon, planners have similarly scrapped the annual Latin Fest that was set for December in Madras.
“It’s supposed to be a joyful celebration, but the anxiety around potential deportation makes us feel that skipping the festivities this year is the more responsible choice,” stated one organizer.
ICE has detained almost 66,500 migrants who entered the country illegally during the initial 100 days of President Trump’s administration.
