Chicago Cinco de Mayo Parade canceled over Trump immigration policy fears, organizers say​on April 11, 2025 at 4:30 am

CHICAGO (WLS) — The party is over for Chicago’s annual Cinco de Mayo Parade this year.

Organizers announcing Thursday that the tradition, along with its festivities on the city’s Southwest Side have been canceled this year.

Organizers said immigration policies from the Trump administration is creating fear in the Mexican community, saying their decision to cancel the event puts safety over profit.

ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watch

A historic Chicago parade, embracing Mexican heritage, is once again facing a detour.

Organizers for the event canceled the annual Cinco de Mayo Parade & Festivities, scheduled for next month, blaming immigration policies coming out of President Donald Trump’s administration.

“Our people are scared,” said Hector Escobar, President of the Casa Puebla & Cermak Road Chamber of Commerce. “See, some of them, they don’t even want to go to work and some of them, they’ve taken a high risk. And, definitely, it’s not much to celebrate.”

Soon after Inauguration Day, Chicago became one of several so-called Sanctuary Cities in the U.S. targeted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Deportation efforts ramped up from the city to the suburbs, leaving some businesses in Chicago’s Little Village neighborhood, where the parade was expected to step off on Cermak Road, concerned.

SEE ALSO | Trump threatening to withhold federal funding from sanctuary cities, which could impact Chicago

“We don’t want to have any confrontation or having people taken away from the festival, from the parade to custody,” Escobar said.

That concern caused nearly half of the events’ sponsors to drop out.

“We could have done it with the 50% of the sponsorship, which is great, but it’s not, again, about money. It’s just more about the safety,” Escobar said.

The parade has a history of disruptions. It wasn’t held from 2018 to 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as a series of disagreements between organizers and city officials. Last year, the parade was forced to reroute due to what police called gang violence, resulting in multiple arrests.

“At this point, we don’t know what is going to happen next year,” Escobar said.

Despite that, organizers saif they are planning for the event’s return next year but are prepared to cancel it if Trump’s immigration policies don’t change.