Foot traffic has dropped significantly in Chicago’s predominantly Latino community, Little Village, also known as the “Mexico of the Midwest,” according to a Fox 32 Chicago report, as fears of deportation have heightened since President Donald Trump took office Monday. 

“They have seen way less foot traffic, way less customers than they usually see,” Jennifer Aguilar, executive director of the Little Village Chamber of Commerce, said about the district to Fox 32. “Weekends are huge here in Little Village, and the amount of people that were out this weekend was significantly lower than usual.”

Considered Chicago’s second-busiest retail corridor, Little Village spans two miles long and is lined with nearly 500 businesses, including stores, restaurants and nightlife venues in the southwestern part of the city. 

Chicago is facing Trump head-on after the president pledged to tackle illegal immigration during his inaugural address Monday: “All illegal entry will immediately be halted, and we will begin the process of returning millions and millions of criminal aliens back to the places from which they came.” 

On Tuesday, Trump’s designated border czar Tom Homan also said that ICE agents have already been deployed across the country to conduct operations. 

Chicago’s Little Village is a predominantly Latino community full of Mexican-American establishments. (Eric Cox/Dan Fastenberg/Alexandra Sarabia/Core News)

Despite the crackdown, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson vowed to oppose the president’s plans and assured that the city’s local law enforcement will not participate with federal immigration enforcement under the 2017 Illinois Trust Act. 

“Chicago stands strong: regardless of the circumstances, our commitment to protecting and supporting this city remains unwavering,” Johnson wrote in a social media post on Sunday. “We will continue to fight for the justice and safety of all who call this place home.”