Chicago’s Mexican Independence Day Celebrations Muted Amid ICE Threats: ‘It’s Depressing’

DOWNTOWN — What is usually a night of raucous Mexican Independence Day celebrations remained unusually calm Saturday amid the federal government’s coordinated immigration enforcement efforts in Chicago.

Downtown was flush with police Saturday, the day that neighbors celebrate the Mexican holiday with large caravans that have taken over the central business district for years despite law enforcement efforts to curb the events.

But this year, there wasn’t a large enough turnout of Mexican Independence Day celebrants to even warrant the Downtown street closures that the city warned could happen.

Instead, many stayed away to avoid possible encounters with U.S. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, who launched Operation Midway Blitz last week in an effort the government said was to target undocumented immigrants in the Chicago area, according to those who kept the party going despite the threats.

ICE was not present during Saturday’s muted celebrations, according to a spokesperson for the agency. But the threat was enough to mute the annual celebrations.

“It’s depressing,” said David H., who was one of the only people waving a Mexican flag on Michigan Avenue around 9:30 p.m. Saturday. “Usually by this time there would be much louder noise and way more foot traffic with flags. I’ve seen probably the same three or four people with with their flags out like that. We should also be able to celebrate our culture just like St. Patrick’s Day or the Italian holidays — obviously in a controllable way by not going too crazy or causing a mess.”

A car with Mexican flags drives along Pulaski Road as few celebrate Mexican Independence Day with car caravans and flagging in Archer Heights on Sept. 13, 2025. Credit: Colin Boyle/Block Club Chicago

A few dozen celebrate Mexican Independence Day with flagging along Michigan Avenue in the Loop on Sept. 13, 2025. Credit: Colin Boyle/Block Club Chicago

A list of unconfirmed Chicago police street post locations circulated on social media and falsely conflated the local operation with ICE checkpoints, causing some confusion online.

Many of the vehicles that displayed Mexican flags from their windows were pulled over by police and had the flags removed, according to several celebrators and Chicago police Supt. Larry Snelling, who told Block Club that he was making sure everyone stayed safe and that he was pleased that the flow of traffic wasn’t being interrupted.

Those displaying “non-transparent material upon the front windshield, or upon or protruding from any rear window, side window or roof” can be fined $300-$1000, according to Chicago Municipal Code 9-40-250.

Police were seen guarding empty parking lots in West Lawn, a predominantly Mexican-American neighborhood that typically goes all out for the mid-September weekend. This year, the streets were quiet around 8:30 p.m. Saturday.

One group of young men drove up from Northwest Indiana and were disappointed when they had their flags taken down by police quickly after arriving Downtown.

“We got pulled over today because we had the flags outside of the windows,” said one of the men, who asked to stay anonymous for safety reasons. “Then [the police] said that we were threats because we had ski masks on. They asked if we had weapons and stuff. It was all because we had the flag out of the window for Mexican Independence.”

The group had driven Downtown for past celebrations and reported that they hadn’t been pulled over before for displaying flags.

A car with Mexican flags is stopped by Chicago Police along Pulaski Road as few celebrate Mexican Independence Day with car caravans and flagging in Archer Heights on Sept. 13, 2025. Credit: Colin Boyle/Block Club Chicago

A wedding party cheers as a few dozen celebrate Mexican Independence Day with flagging in the Loop on Sept. 13, 2025. Credit: Colin Boyle/Block Club Chicago

By roughly 10:30 p.m. Saturday, there was a noticeable increase in celebratory activity Downtown as more vehicles honked their horns and a substantial crowd of teenagers began to march up and down Michigan Avenue waving flags, singing and cheering.

At the helm of the crowd was Noel Herrera, who excitedly rallied chants from a crowd that gradually grew from a few dozen to roughly 100 revelers as the group picked up bystanders. Herrera scurried from one person to the next with an electricity in his step, drawing loud cheers from even the most reserved among the group.

Herrera took a second to heckle a cop pulling over a vehicle for a flag citation. He said the celebrations were clearly muted by the Trump administration’s threats.

“People are getting pulled over because of what Trump has going on,” Herrera said. “We are definitely being racially profiled — they are definitely targeting a certain individual, and all these people getting pulled over is for that reason. We’re not afraid, and we’ll continue to stand together as one. People aren’t here because of ICE, but I’m not gonna let that stop me from celebrating my heritage.”

The crowd drew an extensive police response but remained largely peaceful.

A few dozen celebrate Mexican Independence Day with flagging outside Trump Tower along Wacker Drive in the Loop on Sept. 13, 2025. Credit: Colin Boyle/Block Club Chicago

Saturday’s Mexican Independence celebrations were held less than a week after the government’s announced immigration raids. The threat could have been timed to coincide with celebrations of the holiday, which are held in mid-September, local officials said. El Grito Fest, held in Grant Park in honor of Mexican Independence Day, was canceled due to the ICE efforts.

The day prior to Saturday’s celebrations, a federal immigration officer fatally shot a man in suburban Franklin Park during an arrest attempt, agency officials said.

Agents stopped Silverio Villegas-Gonzalez as he was driving Friday morning near Grand Avenue and Elder Lane, according to reports and a statement from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Villegas-Gonzalez “refused to follow law enforcement commands” and drove his car at officers during the stop, according to ICE. One officer was hit and dragged, agency officials said.

Ashley Sanchez arrived Downtown Saturday with her boyfriend, Jared, and said that it was vitally important to “celebrate today for those who can’t.”

“I doubt there’s gonna be many people out this weekend,” she said. “I feel like that’s just because the times and what’s happening today with ICE. There’s honestly a lot of people who are scared to even go out of their houses to go grocery shopping. My parents are literally so scared. They go out just to work and come straight back home — so that’s why it’s important to show out today.”

A wedding party cheers as a few dozen celebrate Mexican Independence Day with flagging in the Loop on Sept. 13, 2025. Credit: Colin Boyle/Block Club Chicago

A few dozen celebrate Mexican Independence Day with flagging along Wabash Avenue in the Loop on Sept. 13, 2025. Credit: Colin Boyle/Block Club Chicago

A few dozen celebrate Mexican Independence Day with flagging along Michigan Avenue in the Loop on Sept. 13, 2025. Credit: Colin Boyle/Block Club Chicago

A Chicago Police officer drives a confiscated motor bike along Michigan Avenue as a few dozen celebrate Mexican Independence Day with car caravans and flagging in the Loop on Sept. 13, 2025. Credit: Colin Boyle/Block Club Chicago

A person holds a sign saying “F—k ICE” as a few dozen celebrate Mexican Independence Day with car caravans and flagging in the Loop on Sept. 13, 2025. Credit: Colin Boyle/Block Club Chicago

Chicago Police pull over a car with a flag attached to a pole through its sunroof as a few dozen celebrate Mexican Independence Day with car caravans and flagging in the Loop on Sept. 13, 2025. Credit: Colin Boyle/Block Club Chicago

A few dozen celebrate Mexican Independence Day along Michigan Avenue with car caravans and flagging in the Loop on Sept. 13, 2025. Credit: Colin Boyle/Block Club Chicago

A car with Mexican flags is stopped by Chicago Police along Pulaski Road as few celebrate Mexican Independence Day with car caravans and flagging in Archer Heights on Sept. 13, 2025. Credit: Colin Boyle/Block Club Chicago

Washington Boulevard sits almost empty as a few dozen celebrate Mexican Independence Day with car caravans and flagging in the Loop on Sept. 13, 2025. Credit: Colin Boyle/Block Club Chicago

Chicago Police block off a parking lot along Pulaski Road as few celebrate Mexican Independence Day with car caravans and flagging in Archer Heights on Sept. 13, 2025. Credit: Colin Boyle/Block Club Chicago

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