Introduction to the Issue
CHICAGO — Since “Operation Midway Blitz” began in September, federal agents have been surveilling Chicago’s Little Village, a majority Latino neighborhood. Now, when Natalia hears helicopters whirring overhead, she knows ICE is patrolling nearby. The near-constant detainment and deportation of her neighbors is putting her on edge. Natalia, who asked to be referred to by a pseudonym because she fears for her safety, is nervous that as a woman living undocumented in the United States, she may also be taken away from her family, her job, her community.
The Impact on Safe Passage Program
For Natalia, work means staffing Chicago Public Schools’ Safe Passage program, which seeks to keep students safe from threats like gun violence while walking to and from school. In early 2025, the Trump administration revoked the protections schools had from immigration enforcement. Chicagoans like Natalia have witnessed that change in real time on the news: A pre-K teacher dragged out of a day care center; two women detained right outside a school; a man taken into custody while dropping his children off. This revocation, paired with the increased presence of ICE and Customs and Border Protection officers, has caused multiple Safe Passage workers to call off work — and led more students to miss school.
Keeping A Vital Program Alive
The Safe Passage program dates back to 2009, when CPS sought to respond to the violence taking place around city schools. That year, a 16-year-old student was beaten to death while leaving his South Side high school. The program launched with just 35 schools, growing to 191 this year. CPS and 18 partner organizations have jointly hired and trained over 1,200 Safe Passage workers in relationship-building skills, deescalation strategies, and safety protocols. Most of the areas the program covers face high rates of gun violence. In 2024, 115 people were shot in South Lawndale, home to Little Village, 23 of them fatally.
A New Plan
The school district, a CPS spokesperson said, has not heard of any incidents in which federal agents detained a Safe Passage worker on the job. Still, after hearing workers’ concern, CPS and its partners developed a strategy to train additional staff to serve as substitutes. Enlace, one of those partners, has trained about 15 staffers to cover vacant routes. Parents are on high alert at pickup and dropoff, Medina said. When she subs in for Safe Passage, she also acts as a lookout for ICE activity. Like all Enlace staff, she has been trained on ICE response protocols, like Know Your Rights and how to document any actions taken by federal agents.
Community Response
Throughout his patrols of Little Village, Baltazar Enriquez, the Little Village Community Council president, has seen how ICE has spread fear. In response, Enriquez created a volunteer patrol that drives around spotting federal agents, and blowing a whistle to alert community members of their presence. “They’re not coming for criminals,” Enriquez said. “They’re coming for the lady selling tamales, the gentleman taking his kids to school, the person waiting for a bus.” In one incident, Enriquez said, a father dropped off his child at an elementary school. ICE followed him, and he was detained a few blocks away.
Conclusion
The situation in Chicago’s Little Village neighborhood highlights the challenges faced by undocumented immigrants and the impact of immigration raids on community programs like Safe Passage. Despite the fears and challenges, the community has come together to support each other, with organizations like Enlace and the Little Village Community Council working to provide alternative solutions and protect those affected. The story of Natalia and other Safe Passage workers serves as a reminder of the importance of community and the need for support and protection in the face of uncertainty and fear.
FAQs
- Q: What is the Safe Passage program?
A: The Safe Passage program is a Chicago Public Schools initiative that aims to keep students safe from threats like gun violence while walking to and from school. - Q: How has the Trump administration’s revocation of protections for schools from immigration enforcement affected the Safe Passage program?
A: The revocation has caused multiple Safe Passage workers to call off work and led to more students missing school due to fear of ICE presence. - Q: What measures have been taken to address the concerns of Safe Passage workers and the community?
A: CPS and its partners have developed a strategy to train additional staff to serve as substitutes, and community organizations have created alternative transportation routes for families who fear encountering ICE. - Q: How can the community support the Safe Passage program and those affected by immigration raids?
A: The community can support the program by donating to organizations that provide assistance to undocumented immigrants, volunteering with groups that offer alternative transportation and support services, and advocating for policies that protect the rights of all community members.
