Chicago's Cinco de Mayo parade canceled over fear tied to Trump's immigration policies, organizers say

CHICAGO - Chicago’s annual Cinco de Mayo parade on Cermak Road has been canceled this year, with organizers pointing to rising fear in the Mexican community due to federal immigration policies.

What we know:

In a joint statement, the Cermak Road Chamber of Commerce and Casa Puebla announced the difficult decision to cancel the traditional Cinco de Mayo parade and festivities.

The organizations cited deep concerns about community safety in light of increased immigration enforcement under the Trump administration.

"Our community is very frightened because of the raids and the threat that ICE has imposed on the families that work tirelessly to provide a better future for their kids," the statement read.

The parade has long been a fixture in Chicago's Mexican-American community, drawing crowds to the Little Village neighborhood each spring to celebrate heritage, music, and culture. But organizers say this year, many community members are choosing to stay home out of fear.

What's next:

While there will be no parade this year, both the Chamber and Casa Puebla expressed hope for the future.

"Our community has faced bullying and prosecution and are not indulging in community activities, (therefore) we feel that there is nothing to celebrate," the statement said. "We hope that in the near future things get situated and we can continue with the (5 de Mayo) Celebration for many more years to come."