On a tense September morning in 2025, the political and cultural heart of Chicago found itself at the crossroads of federal immigration enforcement and the city’s cherished Mexican Independence Day celebrations. With the Trump administration poised to deploy hundreds of federal agents to the region and the specter of National Guard troops looming, Chicago’s officials, activists, and residents rallied to defend their city’s autonomy and the rights of its immigrant community.
According to Chicago Tribune, on September 5, Democratic U.S. Senators Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth, joined by U.S. Representative Brad Schneider, attempted to visit the offices at Naval Station Great Lakes in North Chicago, which the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is using as a hub for immigrant enforcement operations. Their visit, however, was met with locked doors and absent officials. “The office was locked and no one was there,” Duckworth told reporters. “They fled, and they’re hiding, and that is a clear indication of how secretive they want to be on this effort.”
Navy officials informed the senators that while DHS would have office space at the base, there would be no barracks for detainees and agents would not be permitted to sleep on site. Additionally, the storage of lethal weaponry at the base was off-limits. Still, the senators demanded these assurances be put in writing, with Duckworth asserting, “All our communication with them is oral. They don’t put anything in writing. Their mission is to scare people and put the community on edge.”
In response to what they view as executive overreach, Durbin and Duckworth announced the filing of amendments to the National Defense Authorization Act of 2026. These amendments aim to increase congressional oversight over a president’s use of the military for law enforcement in American cities—especially without the consent of local or state officials.
Governor JB Pritzker, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, and a host of other Democratic leaders have voiced strident opposition to the Trump administration’s plans. Yet, as NBC Chicago reported, they are bracing for a 45-day sweep by federal agents, with operations expected to begin as early as September 6. “In the coming days, we expect to see what has played out in Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., to happen here in Chicago,” Pritzker warned during a press conference.
At least 300 federal agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Customs and Border Patrol, and DHS are expected to be stationed at Naval Station Great Lakes, according to North Chicago Mayor Leon Rockingham Jr. The planned federal operations have been described as “unprecedented” in a joint statement from Lake County Government and the City of North Chicago. The agents, however, will not be housed at the base itself but in local hotels.
Meanwhile, the ICE processing center in Broadview, a frequent site of protests and controversy, is set to play a central role in the campaign. Broadview Mayor Katrina Thompson informed residents that a two-story building at 1930 Beach Street would be used for the large-scale operation. The center has previously drawn criticism for detaining immigrants for days and forcing them to sleep on floors, leading to congressional visits and public outcry earlier in the summer.
As the federal presence ramped up, so did local resistance. On the morning of September 5, protesters gathered outside the Broadview ICE facility, calling for its closure and citing the Illinois Way Forward Act. “We will defend the constitutionally protected right to peaceful protest and will accept no interference with that right,” village administrator LeTisa Jones told the Associated Press. “Simultaneously, we will reject any illegal behavior that puts Broadview police officers’ safety or the safety of local businesses and residents at risk.”
The city’s vibrant Mexican Independence Day celebrations also became entangled in the unfolding drama. Organizers of El Grito Chicago, a two-day festival scheduled for downtown the following weekend, announced the event’s postponement. “This was a painful decision; however, with the heightened political tensions and given our location in downtown Chicago, we need to keep our community safe,” organizer German Gonzalez said in a statement. “To proceed in spite of the advice we’ve received directly from city and state officials and potentially expose our community to becoming collateral damage would be irresponsible. That’s a risk we are not willing to take.”
Despite the concerns, parades in the predominantly Latino neighborhoods of Pilsen and Little Village are set to continue—with significant precautions. The Little Village parade, scheduled for September 14, will feature additional private security, immigration lawyers, and a rapid response team for immigration rights, said Jennifer Aguilar, executive director of the Little Village Chamber of Commerce. The Pilsen parade on September 6 will have volunteers “maintaining vigilance” for any signs of enforcement activity, according to Rigoberto Gonzalez of the United Merchants of Pilsen Chamber of Commerce. While attendance may be lower than usual, Aguilar emphasized the symbolic importance of the festivities: “It’s an act of pride, an act of resistance during these times,” she said. “For me, it’s personal to move forward with the parade and to still let us have joy despite everything that is going on.”
Community leaders, including U.S. Rep. Jesús “Chuy” García, urged participants to be both proud and prudent: “If you show up, be proud but also be smart. If you fall into provocation, your family and your neighbors may pay for it.”
In anticipation of stepped-up enforcement, a new coalition, Hands Off Chicago, was launched by progressive activists and labor unions. “Hands Off Chicago is a campaign to help Illinois residents get involved in pushing back against the military and ICE presence, download resources and stay connected to a community of other Chicagoans who are ready to defend our city and our neighbors,” said Bob Reiter, president of the Chicago Federation of Labor. The coalition, which includes the Illinois AFL-CIO, Indivisible Chicago, the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant & Refugee Rights, and others, has pledged nonviolence and de-escalation in all actions.
The Coalition Against the Trump Agenda, featuring groups such as the Chicago Teachers Union and United Working Families, organized a downtown rally and march for the evening of September 6, further testifying to the city’s resolve to resist federal intervention.
Amid the uncertainty, Governor Pritzker canceled plans to join a trade mission to Japan, choosing instead to remain in Illinois as the situation developed. “Gov. Pritzker and his team are supporting their efforts but will remain in the U.S. as the Trump administration threatens the state with unprecedented overreach,” stated his spokesperson, Andres Correa.
President Trump, for his part, maintained a cryptic stance, telling reporters, “I have. I’m not going to say it now. But yeah, I have. We’re going to go into another place and straighten it out.” He floated the possibility of sending the National Guard not just to Chicago, but to other cities such as Baltimore, Boston, New Orleans, and even Portland, where protests have been ongoing. Yet, as of early September, no official deployment had been made, and Texas Governor Greg Abbott publicly denied that his state’s National Guard was being staged for Chicago.
As Chicago’s leaders, activists, and everyday residents brace for what may come, the city’s response is a blend of vigilance, resilience, and community solidarity. In the face of uncertainty, the spirit of celebration and resistance remains undimmed.
