BELMONT CRAGIN — Businesses in Belmont Cragin and Hermosa have seen massive slowdowns in sales — with some facing closure within months — as ICE and Border Patrol agents have descended on the majority-Latino communities.
The Northwest Side neighborhoods have seen increased immigration arrests and ICE activity in recent weeks under the Trump administration’s large-scale immigration operations — ICE’s Midway Blitz and Border Patrol’s At Large — which started in September. That has stoked fear among would-be customers, with foot traffic and sales dropping, business owners said.
“It’s been really difficult. We could close the restaurant if we don’t get more business in the next two months,” said Jesus, the manager of Las Casitas restaurant, 5746 W. Belmont Ave. in Belmont Cragin. Jesus, who has worked for the restaurant since 2020, asked to not have his last name published out of fear federal agents would target him.
The family-run Mexican restaurant, which has been in the community for over 20 years, usually gets a rush at lunch from people working nearby and when neighbors come in for dinner, but the last three weeks have been painfully slow, Jesus said. People are staying home from work out of fear, and even takeout orders are sparse, he said.
“We all came here with a dream and a goal — to have a family, a career and achieve these things more easily than back home,” Jesus said in Spanish. “But with all the high prices, the fear, now ICE … it’s one pound on top of another that’s suffocating us.”
Seeing ICE agents in the neighborhood is happening more often, which has Jesus worried for himself and his family, he said.
Restaurant owners have had to cut staff and said the next few months will be critical for business — but are holding onto hope things will get better before it’s too late.
At the Hall Plaza shopping mall, business has also decreased, with less foot traffic and more empty parking spots.
The owners of the plaza’s Epic Studio Barbers & Stylist at 4638 W. Diversey Ave. said business has fallen 85 percent in the past month. Erick, one of the owners, who didn’t want his last name published, said the studio used to see at least 20 walk-in customers a day; now, it’s down to between six and 10.
Epic also offers a barber school program for youth wanting to get into the styling business, but fewer students have been showing up since September, Erick said.
“Some of our students stopped coming to school because they think something could happen to them on the way back and forth,” Erick said. “Some other people, they decided that they have to do something with their money for an emergency, so instead of investing to be barbers or dentists or following their career, they’re thinking about what will happen” if detained.
Like other business owners, Erick has had to lay off staff and tighten up his finances to stay afloat and support his family.
“It worries everybody that’s a minority, except the rich people,” he said. “Now we’re living day by day or week by week, or check by check, and you have to either feed your family or pay the rent. … That’s where we’re at.”
‘Please Show Up, Occupy Space’
The Hermosa Belmont Cragin Chamber of Commerce hopes to prevent a wave of small business closures with a $50,000 fundraiser, said Melissa Quintana, president and chamber founder. It’s raising the money through its annual Abuelita Hot Chocolate 5K Run/Walk.
“The only way we are able to support our local businesses is through fundraising,” Quintana said. “That is the solution we decided on to actually inject funds into the community, like some type of relief for businesses.”
The chamber invites people to sign up for the run or sponsor the event, which is 9 a.m. Nov. 8 at Riis Park, 6100 W. Fullerton Ave. Registration is $60 per participant, which includes food and drink, a medal and an official 5K hoodie. Sponsorship opportunities start at $500, which include a ticket to the event, a vendor space, social media promotions and more.
Quintana wants the community and the greater Chicago area to know the event is more than just about crossing the finish line — it’s a symbol of community resilience and small business recovery.
The chamber has raised $11,000, but more help is needed, Quintana said. As business owners have to lay off their staff or temporarily close because of slow sales, Quintana wants people who have the means to join in on the initiative, she said.
“There’s a group of people who have the privilege to move freely and not [worry about getting] deported, so please show up, occupy space, focus on your health — every single dollar you spend goes back to this community,” she said.
The chamber will use the funds to provide micro-grants or staff relief stipends for small businesses in crisis, offer marketing and digital support to increase businesses’ online presence and launch mental health and business education workshops to strengthen resilience.
Another important use will be to issue gift cards to “families impacted by these organized threats,” redeemable at local small businesses that applied for assistance to make sure that relief funds help households and flow back into local stores, Quintana said.
“Folks say small businesses are the backbone of our community, but the support is not there,” she said. “It would be devastating to see what happens. … We already have a crap-ton of vacant storefronts in Belmont Cragin, and the fact that small businesses could close because they don’t know when this will be over, there’s a larger picture here.”
Alonso Zaragoza, one of the organizers of “Whistlemania” and leader of Belmont Cragin United, is also organizing ways to support struggling businesses at the south end of the neighborhood.
Zaragoza is organizing Taste of Belmont Cragin restaurant crawls 5-8 p.m. Tuesday and Oct. 28 to highlight seven businesses along Diversey, Armitage and Laramie avenues. Street vendors selling elotes, cotton candy and balloons will join. Musicians might take over the block, too, he said.
RELATED: Look For The Helpers: How Chicagoans Are Supporting Their Neighbors Amid ICE Raids
Zaragoza is calling on other business owners and Chicagoans who live in other Northwest Side neighborhoods to step up and help struggling business corridors in Belmont Cragin and Little Village.
“We have an advantage of having a lot of wealthier neighborhoods around us, or people with more disposable income and not as much fear,” he said. “One less dinner in Roscoe Village and Wrigley and out it in this neighborhood that needs help will make a huge difference.”
‘We Can’t Have Fear’
Despite the wave of fear and uncertainty in the area, business owners said they’re trying to stay positive and hope more awareness will increase foot traffic and bring in outsiders.
Efigenia, owner of Mexican restaurant Pozoleria at 5037 W. Diversey Ave., who did not want her last name published for fear federal agents will target her, recently hosted a Whistlemania event for neighbors. At the events, volunteers put together whistle kits that anyone can use to warn vulnerable neighbors federal agents are nearby.
On Pozoleria’s counter, there’s now a box of free whistles, and resource kits sit alongside posters that alert customers of their rights and how to be protected.
“We can’t have fear. We need to make sure everyone knows their rights and not be scared,” Efigenia said in Spanish. “We need people to support us and to resist the federal government.”
Listen to the Block Club Chicago podcast:
