Chicago is shedding businesses and shrinking its migrant‑centered economy, with restaurateurs in neighborhoods like Little Village and Pilsen feeling the squeeze amid ramped‑up federal immigration enforcement under President Donald Trump. One restaurant owner, Marcos Carbajal of Carnitas Uruapan, described the situation bluntly: “We are dying a slow death.” He said two of his three locations are keeping the third afloat as it runs at a loss.
The broader business climate in the city has been deteriorating for some time. Among the many pressures: runaway taxes and anti‑business policies under Mayor Brandon Johnson (D), who previously ran a highly business‑unfriendly administration in Chicago. The post‑COVID recovery phase has added tax hikes, labor cost inflation, and utility increases to an already dire mix.
Now, Trump’s immigration enforcement initiative—particularly the so‑called “Operation Midway Blitz” targeting migrant enclaves—appears to be accelerating the collapse of certain local businesses. Many eateries in heavily immigrant neighborhoods report that diners are avoiding outings for fear of immigration‑related enforcement actions and protest‑related disruptions. Businessman Esam Hani, who operates restaurants in Chicago and Milwaukee, described a staggering 40 percent sales drop. He warned that small businesses are teetering and may shutter if conditions don’t improve quickly.
Another troubling sign: Chicago reportedly lost 17 percent of its business sector over the past year, placing it at a ten‑year low for the number of operating firms. Owners say landlords and utilities, less willing to offer relief, are demanding full rents and bills even as customer traffic collapses. With federal immigration enforcement tightening and local economic foundations crumbling, the city faces a wave of closures that could amplify already severe economic and social fallout.
