Fear and terror in Chicago: families retreat to the basement!

Fear and terror in Chicago: families retreat to the basement!

In the fear-ridden metropolis of Chicago, numerous families with a migrant background are hiding in their basements while children no longer go to school. The new requirements under President Trump are causing sometimes paralyzing fear: “Since Trump won, we have no peace anymore,” reports Doris Aguirre, a migrant from Honduras who has been living in the USA without a residence permit for 25 years. Their situation reflects the reality in which an estimated 14 million people in the United States live without legal documents or with unclear immigration status, who are now at risk of deportation ntv.de reported.

The fear in the community results from the strict measures taken by the new US migration authority, which is taking much more aggressive action under Trump. Just days after his inauguration, raids were already being carried out in Chicago and the surrounding suburbs. Trump authorized authorities to arrest migrants on mere suspicion and without a warrant. This leads many people, like Doris Aguirre, to tread carefully and only go outside when absolutely necessary. After krone.at a retailer in Little Village proclaimed: "I'm only selling half off. Since Trump was sworn in, people have been afraid to go out." This not only has an individual but also a social impact: almost only half of the children are currently still going to school, while the shops in the popular shopping mile are suffering greatly from the decline in customers.

The profound reality of fear

The migration agency has said it plans to detain at least 1,200 people a day, which could lead to a historic number of arrests. This reinforces the already ingrained fear among migrants. Democratic Councilman Byron Sigcho-Lopez expressed concern about the criminalization of hard-working people who live in the community. “They are criminalizing the entire community,” he complained. The sidewalks are reportedly deserted in neighborhoods like La Villita, where once there was a lot of activity. “Store sales have collapsed,” explains a local trader who shares his concerns about the current situation. The developments highlight how Trump's policies and the associated crackdowns have created a profound climate of fear in the city.