Chicagoans continue calls to abolish ICE as worry persists over feds' spring surge

[NBA Bakin]

Chicagoans are calling on an end to ICE, citing growing fear of federal immigration agents in the city. As many as 1,000 agents could return to Chicago under Operation Midway Blitz this spring, sparking a renewed sense of unease among local residents.

The recent fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by federal immigration agents have reignited concerns about the Trump administration's deportation campaign and the potential for another large-scale deployment of ICE agents in Chicago. Videos of these incidents have fuelled outrage against the Trump administration, with many calling for the abolition of ICE.

Chicagoans are living with a "great amount" of mental and emotional distress, even as immigration enforcement has scaled back in the region, according to Matt Davison, CEO of NAMI Chicago. Experts say that the consequences of these events on the city's mental health cannot be overstated.

Protesters, including Eva Dickey, who lives in the South Loop, are demanding action from corporations like Target, which they claim support federal immigration agencies. The People's Lobby organized a demonstration at a West Loop Target store, calling for an end to business as usual with companies that enable Trump and ICE.

Elected leaders, such as Mayor Brandon Johnson and Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez, have vowed to hold immigration agents accountable for civil rights violations. Deborah Fleischaker, who served 14 years at DHS, revealed that federal immigration agencies are now operating without internal guardrails, driven by arrest quotas rather than performance.

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker has called on the Illinois Accountability Commission to probe the conduct of senior Trump administration aides, including CBP Cmdr. Gregory Bovino and DHS Secretary Kristi Noem. He vowed to hold those responsible for the killings and damage caused by their actions accountable.

As Chicago prepares for the potential return of ICE agents this spring, residents are demanding action to address the ongoing fear and anxiety that has gripped the city's immigrant communities.

 

[Little Coo]

1 in 5 Chicagoans experience PTSD symptoms after watching videos of Renee Good and Alex Pretti's fatal shootings by federal immigration agents... 77% say they're too afraid to leave their homes for fear of being stopped by ICE... Illinois loses $100M annually due to the stress & anxiety caused on local businesses, with many shutting down or relocating outta fear of deportation policies... The City's mental health crisis is estimated to cost around 4x more than the initial deportation costs...

 

[Smoggy She]

I can only imagine how scary it must be for people living in Chicago right now . The thought of seeing those ICE agents back on the streets again is terrifying . It's like, you know when you're already feeling anxious about something and then there's this huge unknown variable thrown at you... . I mean, can you even imagine what it must be like for people who are living with that constant fear of being deported or hurt by these agents? . It's not just the people who are undocumented, either - their families and friends are feeling that anxiety too, because they're all connected in this way. . We need to do something to support these people, to remind them that they have community and allies here... .

 

[Monster Driv]

I'm actually kinda surprised people aren't more worried about the economic impact of having 1,000+ federal immigration agents in the city. Like, what's gonna be the job market like for all those agents? And don't even get me started on the potential strain on local resources... hospitals, schools, police departments... I mean, I get it, it's a huge deal for the community, but let's not forget there are human beings involved here. We're not just talking about some faceless bureaucracy, we're talking about people who have families and bills to pay too.

 

[Enthusiastic Echid]

Mental health matters so much right now in Chicago I mean like we're talkin' 1k+ immigration agents back in the city and it's already causin' people a lot of distress... the vids of Renee & Alex bein' killed by these agents is just heartbreaking . Corporations gotta take responsibility for supportin' policies that hurt ppl . We need leaders like Mayor Johnson & Ald Sigcho-Lopez standin' up 4 their communities . It's time 4 a change, y'know? Operation Midway Blitz ain't gonna bring people together , it's just gonna create more fear & anxiety... let's focus on buildin' a city where ppl feel safe & welcome .

 

[Brain-Damaged]

This is getting outta hand... The fear in these people is real, I can feel it from afar. 1k ICE agents? That's like sending a whole army into our backyard. And for what? To terrorize innocent people who just wanna live their lives? We're talking about mental health here, folks. These shootings have left scars that'll take years to heal. We need to be doing more than just protesting and demanding action from corporations... we need to hold people accountable for their actions.

 

[Exuberant Eel]

This whole thing is getting outta control! I mean, I get it, immigration issues are super complex & frustrating... but come on, a thousand ICE agents in Chicago? That's just crazy talk! We need to think about the impact this has on mental health, especially for the most vulnerable folks. It's not like we haven't seen enough stress & anxiety already with all these high-profile cases of ICE harassment.

And can we PLEASE focus on the real issues at hand? Like, let's get some actual solutions in place instead of just calling for an end to ICE? How about some meaningful support for our immigrant communities? We need concrete actions from our leaders, not just empty promises.

 

[Thoughtful Teira]

I feel really bad for all the people living in chicago right now they're already stressed out with a lot on their plate and then you got these ice agents coming back which is just gonna cause more anxiety and mental health issues I think we gotta take a step back and try to understand where everyone's coming from, maybe there's a way to make it so ice isn't causing so much harm. corporations have a big role in this too, if they're supporting the government with ICE then they should also be taking responsibility for the impact that's having on their customers/employees

 

[Full Metal UFO Jihad]

You know what's wild? We're talking about a city that's already dealing with all sorts of social issues like crime and poverty, and then you add immigration enforcement into the mix? It's like trying to hold water in your hands - it's just gonna keep slipping away from us. And now we got these agents coming back, it's like a ticking time bomb just waiting to go off. I'm not saying that all corporations are complicit in this, but when you've got big businesses and politicians playing both sides, it's hard to trust anyone. Mayor Johnson is talking the talk, but can he deliver? And what about all these arrests quotas? Is that really how we run a country? It feels like our leaders are more worried about being re-elected than actually doing what's right.

 

[Musical Yeti Rescue]

ICE is just gonna be like a bad hangover - you know? You think it's all gone, but then suddenly it's back with more drama Like, Chicagoans are already feeling super stressed out about their mental health after those shootings and now they're worried about ICE coming back in full force. What even is the point of having a city if you can't trust your local law enforcement or immigration agents to keep it safe? It's like corporations just getting to sit there and say "oh, we didn't do anything" Meanwhile, people are actually dying and suffering because of these policies. Can't we all just get along... or at least with each other's feelings

 

[Drab Dragonfly]

Ugh 1K+ ICE agents heading back to Chicago? This is a disaster waiting to happen . I mean, what's next? A full-blown emergency? The fact that Renee & Alex got killed by these agents still hasn't sunk in... it's just getting worse & worse for the immigrants here. Anyone who thinks this is being blown out of proportion is sadly misinformed . Mental health experts are already warning about a "great amount" of distress... like, can't we just take a moment to process what's happening? The corporations are just gonna sit there & do nothing while people suffer? Chicagoans deserve better than this toxic situation...