A letter from a Chicago mom
This is a FB post by my niece-in-law. I thought I would share it here.
https://www.facebook.com/skyler.schrempp/posts/pfbid0DWuhmqPt4eEfwmCo1Gi6X5Edv9ZQ9xeSR3gotYpoY4tNbck31g7RJL1kSfftibyzl
Posting the letter I sent to my out of state friends and family. I cannot stress how important it is to show up and speak up right now, particularly if you are a registered Republican. I wrote this before tonights news. (Oct. 6 2025)
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Hello friends and family in other states--
I am reaching out in very deep distress over the federal presence in Chicago.
I live here with my husband and two daughters (ages 4 years and 10 months). My parents and brother live here as well.
We freaking love it.
I have always been baffled at how my city is described by the president. It has always made me chuckle, actually. Because it's just not true. It's a political talking point that I think perhaps successfully distracts people from the price of eggs.
My city is beautiful, strong, and I wouldn't live anywhere else if someone paid me to. Not even if it was a cottage by the sea in Ireland.
You probably know that the president has sent feds in against the wishes of our elected officials and the vast majority of Chicagoans. Perhaps you've been told this is a "war zone". Perhaps you even believe that.
I do not live in a war zone.
But I now live in a city where federal agents are terrorizing neighborhoods, setting off tear gas, zip tying naked children and throwing them in U-Hauls. They are not coordinating with local officials. They are telling us they are arresting dangerous criminals and providing no evidence of that. If you truly don't care about this treatment because "they're immigrants" I am telling you that this is happening to US citizens as well.
And anyway, a naked child is not a dangerous criminal. Can you think for one minute how you would feel if someone did that to your child? Your grandchild? Your niece?
I will tell you my fear so that if it comes to pass you will stop and think a moment before believing what the president tells you about Chicago and Chicagoans.
I am afraid of people being shot, peaceful people, people exercising their right to protest, people trying to protect their neighbors. I am afraid of people being killed and federal forces, without having to provide any evidence or due process, telling the public that the people shot and killed were dangerous criminals, that they were inciting a riot. They will not provide evidence, they will say this and expect that you will believe it.
This could be me. This could be my friends. This could be my family. You may recall my dad was wrongfully arrested while protesting the invasion of Iraq in 2003. He was singing the national anthem when he was arrested.
I don't think wrongful arrests will happen this time. I think it will be worse.
I think the goal of this occupation (because that is what this is) is to make people afraid. I think they know that they only have to do away with a few people for all of us to be scared.
I do not live in a war zone.
Yet.
I have no doubt that the goal of the federal presence here is to provoke violence. Agents threw tear gas at people grocery shopping about ten minutes away from me. They will do it in my neighborhood too, my beautiful neighborhood, with my beautiful neighbors.
This is a politically motivated occupation in a city that voted overwhelmingly against these policies and the man behind them.
There is a reason the president is trying to militarize blue cities and it leads nowhere good.
I am asking you, I am begging you, call your representatives to speak out against this. Put it however it suits you best; that this is political retribution, that feds should not be throwing people and particularly children in U-Hauls based on the color of their skin, that the federal government should not be acting against the wishes of locally elected representatives...or just tell them that you have a friend and family member and you're worried about them.
Please be worried about us.
Please turn off your television, put down your social media and give this email five minutes - heck, I'll take one minute - of consideration.
Please be curious about what is happening here.
Please interrupt your friend when they say something ignorant about what is happening here.
Please come see what a beautiful city I live in with my husband, my four year daughter, and my 10 month old baby. And yes, my cat, she deserves to feel safe here too.
Please let me take you to the Persian restaurant I love for chicken in walnut sauce, let me take you to our beautiful lake whose color shifts by the hour. Sit in my weird old house with its Greek fountain in the foyer and play with my baby. Let me walk you through the galleries of the Art Institute, let me take you to the murals in Pilsen, or sit with a samovar at Russian Tea Time. Let me show you Sue the dinosaur, take you for a sidecar at the gorgeous Green Mill cocktail lounge. Let me show you the river walk and gaze up at the beautiful domes of the Cultural Center. I'll lend you a bicycle so you can ride along the lake and feel the wind in your hair and see our beautiful downtown rise up as you come around the bend.
And sure, we can order deep dish if you really want, but truthfully I prefer Detroit style pizza.
I am an American and I live in an American city.
SIgning off with love and hope to bridge the political gap, even if just for a minute.
Skyler Schrempp
Born and raised Chicagoan
Mother of 2 little Chicagoans
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