Chicago business owners are blasting what they describe as aggressive Immigration and Customs Enforcement tactics, saying federal operations are “undermining and humiliating” residents and choking off neighborhood commerce and trust. Their public rebuke comes after weeks of high-profile arrests around the city and suburbs — and new footage that rattled parents and customers.
FOX 32 Chicago reported that several local businesses gathered Friday morning to denounce ICE activity, airing a joint statement that accused the agency of degrading Chicagoans.
Daycare arrest shocks families
Days earlier, a video circulated showing federal agents detaining an early-childhood educator inside Rayito de Sol, a North Side preschool — an episode parents and officials called traumatizing. As reported by WTTW, the arrest took place around 7 a.m., and the preschool closed temporarily while families and staff processed what happened. Ald. Matt Martin told NBC Chicago the clip was “some of the most chilling video footage I have ever seen,” as other local representatives pressed federal officials for answers.
Crackdown, protests, and scrutiny
The daycare arrest is part of a wider enforcement push that national outlets have described as an intensified campaign to arrest people the government labels criminal suspects. Human Rights Watch has documented cases it says show federal agents using excessive force against protesters, journalists, and legal observers in Illinois, linking those incidents to the broader effort.
Judge orders body cameras…