THE POTENTIAL FOR THUNDERSTORMS AND THE HEAVIEST RAIN. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU MIKE. WELL, TONIGHT. OFFICIALS WITH THE ANNUAL LUNAR NEW YEAR PARADE IN SQUIRREL HILL. CONFIRMING THIS YEAR’S EDITION WAS CANCELED DUE TO CONCERNS OVER IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT POTENTIALLY TARGETING ITS ATTENDEES. THAT DECISION WAS TAKEN AS A PRECAUTION TO PROTECT IMMIGRANTS WHO ARE ANXIOUS. WITH THE RISE IN ICE DETACHMENTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND HERE LOCALLY, IT’S A VERY IMPORTANT NEIGHBORHOOD IN SQUIRREL HILL, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE WE HAVE THE LARGEST POPULATION OF ASIAN COMMUNITY MEMBERS ANYWHERE IN THE CITY. IT WAS A VERY CHALLENGING DECISION TO CANCEL THE LUNAR NEW YEAR, BECAUSE WE VERY MUCH WANTED TO CELEBRATE WITH WITH OUR COMMUNITY. HOWEVER, WE DID NOT FEEL LIKE THE CLIMATE WAS SAFE THIS YEAR. IN THE MEANTIME, THE SQUIRREL HILL URBAN COALITION AND THE OCA ARE ENCOURAGING NEIGHBORS TO WRITE THEIR HOPES FOR THE NEW YEAR ON RED TAGS THAT WILL THEN BE HUNG ON TREES. AND IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR OTHER WAYS TO SUPPORT THE PITTSBURGH ASIAN COMMUNITY AT THIS TIME, THE FOLKS AT VISIT PITTSBURGH ENCOURAGES EVERYONE TO CHECK OUT ALL OF THE AMAZING CHINESE CUISINE AROUND THE CITY, OR VISIT THE PITTSBURGH CHINESE CULTURAL CENTER. PLUS, THE STORY OF THE CHINESE ZODIAC COMES TO LIFE AT THE BYHAM THEATER NEXT WEEK. THE GREAT RACE TAKES STAGE AT 2 P.M. ON SATURDAY, MARCH 14TH, TURNING ONE O
Lunar New Year parade in Squirrel Hill canceled due to immigration concerns
Updated: 11:24 PM EST Mar 3, 2026
An annual Lunar New Year parade in Pittsburgh has been canceled amid concerns that ICE agents may target parade attendees. “It was a very challenging decision to cancel the Lunar New Year because we very much wanted to celebrate with our community,” Maria Cohen, executive director of the Squirrel Hill Urban Coalition, told Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 on Tuesday. “However, we did not feel like the climate was safe this year.”Cohen said the organization, alongside the Pittsburgh chapter of the OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates, made the decision as ICE officers have ramped up actions throughout the country. It also comes after two men were detained by immigration enforcement officers in Pittsburgh. “It’s very important to our neighborhood in Squirrel Hill, especially because we have the largest population of Asian community members anywhere in the city,” Cohen said. In the meantime, the Squirrel Hill Urban Coalition and the OCA are encouraging neighbors to write their hopes for the new year on red tags that will be hung on trees. Download the WTAE app to stay connected with breaking news. Sign up for our email newsletters to get breaking news in your inbox.
PITTSBURGH —
An annual Lunar New Year parade in Pittsburgh has been canceled amid concerns that ICE agents may target parade attendees.
“It was a very challenging decision to cancel the Lunar New Year because we very much wanted to celebrate with our community,” Maria Cohen, executive director of the Squirrel Hill Urban Coalition, told Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 on Tuesday. “However, we did not feel like the climate was safe this year.”
Cohen said the organization, alongside the Pittsburgh chapter of the OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates, made the decision as ICE officers have ramped up actions throughout the country.
It also comes after two men were detained by immigration enforcement officers in Pittsburgh.
“It’s very important to our neighborhood in Squirrel Hill, especially because we have the largest population of Asian community members anywhere in the city,” Cohen said.
In the meantime, the Squirrel Hill Urban Coalition and the OCA are encouraging neighbors to write their hopes for the new year on red tags that will be hung on trees.
Download the WTAE app to stay connected with breaking news. Sign up for our email newsletters to get breaking news in your inbox.