Multiple major events tied to Mexican Independence Day have been canceled in Chicago as President Donald Trump prepares to deploy National Guard troops and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to the city. The decision comes amid heightened tensions surrounding Trump’s ongoing national push to crack down on violent crime and illegal immigration.
El Grito Chicago, a marquee festival that drew 24,000 attendees last year, was set to take place September 13–14 but has now been called off. Organizers cited safety concerns, stating that holding the event under current circumstances would place attendees at risk. Two other events scheduled for the same weekend have also been canceled or postponed.
The cancellations coincide with Trump’s announcement of enhanced federal operations in Chicago, including the deployment of ICE agents tasked with interior enforcement and National Guard units to support law enforcement. These actions follow ongoing concerns about crime levels in the city and its longstanding status as a sanctuary jurisdiction.
Chicago, where over 21 percent of the population is of Mexican heritage, has traditionally hosted large public celebrations in the lead-up to Mexican Independence Day on September 16. This year’s planned festivities were expected to draw tens of thousands. However, growing fears over increased immigration enforcement and federal presence have cast a shadow over public gatherings.
Protests erupted in Chicago over the weekend in response to the planned federal deployment. Demonstrators marched through the city chanting anti-Trump slogans and voicing support for Palestine and immigrant communities.
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, a consistent opponent of Trump’s immigration policies, accused the administration of deliberately targeting September as the timing for intervention. He alleged that Trump adviser Stephen Miller selected this month specifically to disrupt Mexican heritage celebrations.
Pritzker also condemned a recent online post by Trump, in which the president claimed Chicago was “about to find out why it’s called the Department of War,” a reference to his administration’s symbolic renaming of the Department of Defense. The governor responded on X, calling Trump a “wannabe dictator” and vowing that Illinois would not be intimidated.
The cancellation of these events underscores the political and cultural tension in cities where immigration enforcement efforts are escalating. Trump’s critics argue the timing is meant to provoke, while supporters point to ongoing concerns about lawlessness in sanctuary cities like Chicago.
