United for Chicago group of business, civic and faith leaders join together to call for end to immigration raids in downtown event
For the first time since Operation Midway Blitz began, a large group of Chicago's business, civic and faith leaders jointed together Friday to call for an end to the ICE raids.
They say it's having a big impact on the city's workforce and economy.
From downtown businesses to retail corridors in Latino neighborhoods, the economic repercussions of the Trump administration's ICE enforcement has brought together a diverse group of business and civic leaders.
"The point is to shock and to scare not to enforce immigration laws," Chicago CRED Founder and Former Education Secretary Arne Duncan said. "It is an attempt to create learned helplessness in our communities."
In an attempt to help, Duncan brought together the group called United for Chicago.
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"We know the president listens to business leaders," said Rebecca Shi, CEO of the American Business Immigration Coalition. "He's extremely motivated by what the business community has to say. And so this is just to start, and businesses are making their voices heard."
Shi calls Operation Midway Blitz economically reckless. She says revenues for some businesses have gone down by 50%.
"Immigrants, along with undocumented immigrants, contribute $22 billion in taxes and local spending every year," Shi said. "They're not just part of our economy. They drive it."
Shi says removing landscapers, restaurant workers, day care workers and so on is already driving up consumer prices.
"No one, Republican, Democrat or Independent voted for this," Former President & CEO of the Illinois Chamber of Commerce Lou Sandoval said.
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Business leaders say they hope to begin some dialogue behind the scenes with Republican business owners especially those who worry about their bottom line and fear the Trump administration if they speak out.
"There are a lot of people in Chicago who love Chicago and love Trump, and we ask those people to to speak up and step up and come and talk to us, and unified together, we're much stronger," said John Atkinson with the Illinois Economic Development Corporation.
The business community says coming together was as a collective voice is just the beginning. They are hopeful more business leaders, locally and nationwide, will join their effort.
