Voices Rise in Chicago as Immigrant Communities Rally Against Trump Era Policies

Daley Plaza becomes a stage for powerful resistance as activists, lawmakers, and community members decry ICE raids, racial profiling, and fear-driven immigration enforcement

A Morning of Defiance and Unity

On a charged Monday morning in downtown Chicago, immigrant rights leaders, labor organizers, elected officials, and community members gathered outside Daley Plaza to make one thing clear — they will not be silenced.

The rally, which drew hundreds, served as a vocal stand against what organizers called "deliberate cruelty" in former President Donald Trump's immigration enforcement practices. Chants echoed across the plaza, signs waved in the air, and stories of pain and perseverance took center stage as speakers condemned recent ICE raids, deportations, and the broader strategy of intimidation targeting immigrant communities across the nation.

Congressman Garcia: "This is cruelty with intent"

U.S. Representative Jesus “Chuy” Garcia of Illinois stood before the crowd with palpable emotion, declaring that the recent immigration actions were far from routine or lawful.

“What we saw last week and over the weekend wasn’t lawful enforcement,” Garcia said. “It was a belligerent power grab. ICE agents abducting people from their homes, workplaces, community spaces — ripping parents from their children. These were not check-ins. These were coordinated kidnappings.”

Garcia emphasized that the tactics being used were not rooted in safety, but rather in domination.
“This is about control,” he continued. “This is cruelty with intent.”

Diverse Communities Join Forces

The rally brought together a broad coalition of voices, including the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, Arab American Action Network, the Coalition for a Better Chinese American Community, and labor unions such as SEIU Local 1.

Each group highlighted how Trump's immigration policies had disproportionately harmed marginalized communities, particularly Black immigrants from African and Caribbean nations, and Asian immigrants from China. Stories were shared of individuals who were detained during what they thought were routine immigration check-ins, only to find themselves handcuffed and sent to detention centers with no clear explanation.

Labor Leaders Demand Justice

SEIU Local 1 President Genie Kastrup spoke passionately about the recent arrest of SEIU-USWW President David Huerta during an ICE operation in Los Angeles. Huerta, a longtime labor leader and U.S. citizen, was charged federally with conspiracy to impede an officer — a felony. His supporters believe he was targeted for his activism.

“David is my brother, a fighter, a leader,” Kastrup said. “He’s dedicated his life to lifting up working people, and now he’s being wrongfully detained. We will not stop until he is free.”

As chants of “Free David” rang out from the crowd, Kastrup criticized the Trump administration’s approach to enforcement.
“These actions are not about safety. They are about control, racism, and intimidation. But we will not be intimidated,” she said.

The National Guard and a City on Edge

The events in Chicago follow a tense weekend in Los Angeles, where protests erupted after dozens of arrests were made during a broad ICE operation. The Trump administration responded by deploying the National Guard — a move that many saw as an escalation designed to silence dissent.

Back in Chicago, the anger was not only directed at federal forces. Protesters also raised serious concerns about the involvement of local police in federal immigration actions.

Chicago Police and the TRUST Act Controversy

Demonstrators took issue with the presence of Chicago Police Department officers during an ICE raid at an immigration supervision program site in the South Loop. Witnesses said that during the raid, which occurred at the BI Incorporated facility on South Michigan Avenue, at least ten people were detained after being lured there under the pretense of routine immigration appointments.

Many in the crowd argued that this violated the Illinois TRUST Act, which prohibits local law enforcement from aiding federal immigration efforts.

“There’s a still shot of police standing there, setting up perimeters,” said Rabbi Michael Ben Yosef. “Under state law, this should not be happening.”

The CPD later stated that its officers were present only for crowd control and did not assist ICE agents. But for activists and community members, the distinction was not enough.

“We saw people taken in vans, blindsided,” said one organizer. “This isn’t what safety looks like. This is state-sanctioned fear.”

A Movement That Refuses to Back Down

As the sun set Monday evening, a second wave of demonstrators gathered outside the Chicago Public Safety Headquarters. Holding candles and banners, they reaffirmed their commitment to defending immigrant communities and holding both local and federal officials accountable.

The rally was more than a protest — it was a moment of unity across cultures, neighborhoods, and identities. It was also a warning that despite the fear and pain inflicted, the people are watching, organizing, and preparing to resist every attempt to silence their voices.

Final Words from the Community

“This isn’t just a Latino issue. This isn’t just about one race or one community,” said a young organizer near the close of the event. “This is about humanity. It’s about the right to live without fear. And we will not stop until that right is protected for all of us.”

In the heart of Chicago, where so many immigrant journeys have begun, the fight for justice and dignity continues — louder, stronger, and more united than ever before.