ILLN Opinion+

Stop The War Declared on U.S. Informal Workers
Community, Democracy, Economy, ILLN Opinion+, Immigration, Opinion

Stop The War Declared on U.S. Informal Workers

“Operation Midway Blitz,” the latest ICE effort in the Chicago area, has unleashed fear among immigrant communities, targeting informal workers like street vendors and day laborers who form the backbone of neighborhood life. From Franklin Park to Broadview, tear gas, arrests, and fatal encounters have left families shaken. Experts warn the crackdown threatens not only lives but the cultural and economic fabric of Chicago itself.

Stop The War Declared on U.S. Informal Workers
Community, Democracy, ILLN Opinion+, Immigration, Opinion

Stop The War Declared on U.S. Informal Workers

Operation Midway Blitz brings militarized immigration enforcement into Chicago and targets informal workers such as street vendors, day laborers and their families. Witnesses saw heavily armed ICE agents unload young men, teens and older adults into detention vans, just days after a restaurant worker and father of two died in a suburban stop. The raids do not target “the worst of the worst.” Instead, they dismantle community lifelines: the tamale vendor up at 3 a.m., the day laborer who risks unpaid work and the neighbors who guide children to school. Their removal attacks more than individuals. It attacks the fabric of American cities.

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