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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsCafes, restaurants across Chicago put up signs barring immigration agents
Cafes, restaurants across Chicago put up signs barring immigration agentshttps://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/10/14/chicago-restaurants-ice-agents/
Its a small, but mighty sign: Everyone is welcome here, except I.CE. Katherine Duncan, owner of Katherine Anne Confections, fastened it proudly on her shops front door.
It was a no-brainer for me, Duncan said on a recent Wednesday afternoon, hours after she put the sign up at the storefront on 3653 W. Irving Park Road. I feel so helpless. With my business and my kids, I cant escort students to and from school or other things like that. So it was like, well what can we do?
In recent weeks, Chicago has seen an increase in Immigration and Customs Enforcement actions, which have been met with significant criticism from activists, local government and community groups, spurring protests, legal challenges and a new executive order from Mayor Brandon Johnson creating citywide ICE-free zones to push back against the federal crackdown. For restaurant and cafe workers, many of whom are immigrants, the looming threat of unannounced visits by ICE, which have already led to arrests in restaurants, outside grocery stores and in the parking lots of businesses in Chicago, has created anxiety and uncertainty about their future.
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It was a no-brainer for me, Duncan said on a recent Wednesday afternoon, hours after she put the sign up at the storefront on 3653 W. Irving Park Road. I feel so helpless. With my business and my kids, I cant escort students to and from school or other things like that. So it was like, well what can we do?
In recent weeks, Chicago has seen an increase in Immigration and Customs Enforcement actions, which have been met with significant criticism from activists, local government and community groups, spurring protests, legal challenges and a new executive order from Mayor Brandon Johnson creating citywide ICE-free zones to push back against the federal crackdown. For restaurant and cafe workers, many of whom are immigrants, the looming threat of unannounced visits by ICE, which have already led to arrests in restaurants, outside grocery stores and in the parking lots of businesses in Chicago, has created anxiety and uncertainty about their future.
...
The emptiest of empty gestures. They will be raided first.
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Cafes, restaurants across Chicago put up signs barring immigration agents (Original Post)
4th
Tuesday
OP
yardwork
(68,324 posts)1. I think this could be very powerful if lots of businesses do it.
The only way to fight back is for the public to rise up against it.
Prairie Gates
(6,516 posts)2. It's not an empty gesture at all
What the fuck?
4th
(448 posts)5. A "come here and raid us" sign? Really? n/t
Prairie Gates
(6,516 posts)6. Holy Jesus
It tells everybody who is welcome and shows solidarity and if hundreds of restaurants in the city have them, it actually functionally bars ICE.
Your whole "come and raid me" nonsense is a weird fantasy and irrelevant.
Torchlight
(5,894 posts)10. Taking a surrender knee and acquiescing seems a worse deal
Sometimes, the convictions held by a few can become stronger than the appeasement held by many.
Blues Heron
(7,843 posts)3. It's the opposite of an empty gesture it's called walking the walk.
ratchiweenie
(8,137 posts)4. These masked stasi have to be opposed. She is brave.
gab13by13
(30,109 posts)7. Hard to eat with a mask on anyway,
My guess is they have to hide to eat.
eShirl
(19,794 posts)8. small acts of resistance add up
cbabe
(5,722 posts)9. Stick a frog on the signs. That'll do it.
greatauntoftriplets
(178,421 posts)11. Most Chicago businesses ban armed customers.
I applaud Katherine.
Hekate
(99,845 posts)12. Beautiful & Brave