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CHICAGO (WLS) — There were concerns about immigration raids at two weekend festivals in Chicago after Department of Homeland Security agents were seen near one of the sites this week.
Despite those concerns, the Barrio Arts Fest and Colombian Independence Day Celebration both drew big crowds.
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Organizers of both events, including at the Barrio Arts Festival in Humboldt Park, say they didn’t want to cancel the events because of concerns of possible ICE raids. So instead, they prepared in case those fears came to fruition.
“What they did was help to united the Latino community,” said Billy Ocasio, director of the National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts and Culture.
We’re a little bit afraid… Hispanic people, we are really afraid now and we shouldn’t be.
Guilibaleo Criollo, Colombian Independence Day Celebration organzier
In the midst of enjoying Puerto Rican pride was also some lingering concerns.
“I live around the corner, and I want to make sure that our community is able to celebrate our culture, diversity, the arts without any fear,” said Rep. Delia Ramirez of Illinois’ 3rd District.
The two-day Barrio Arts Festival in Humboldt Park continued this weekend amid those fears and confusion about possible ICE raids. That’s why organizers said security was hired to keep federal agents from entering the private property at the National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts and Culture, where the event is hosted, while also having immigration attorneys on hand.
The extra precautions come after surveillance video showed a group of Department of Homeland Security officers in the parking lot of the museum on Tuesday.
“At a time where Homeland Security wants to demonstrate or try to portray fear, we’re saying ‘presente, we are here,'” Ramirez said.
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Museum officials said the agents refused to show a warrant and believed they were trying to scope out the area ahead of this weekend’s event.
“People said, ‘If they could do this to a Puerto Rican museum – Puerto Ricans are citizens – imagine what they’re planning for us,'” Ocasio said. “We put together protocols to make sure that, if they do show up, how we’re going to handle it. So, other communities are learning from us and preparing from us.”
That includes organizers at the Colombian Independence Day Celebration in Logan Square.
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“We’re a little bit afraid,” organizer Guilibaleo Criollo said.
That fear is why volunteers handed out fliers for any undocumented people to know their rights while some other volunteers kept an eye out for any sightings of federal agents.
“Hispanic people, we are really afraid now and we shouldn’t be, so hopefully, next year it will be better for us,” Criollo said.
Back at the Barrio Arts Festival, DHS told ABC 7 that its agents were gathered in the parking lot earlier this week as part of an unrelated narcotics investigation and not for any immigration enforcement.
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