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.
According to organizers, the Trump administration’s immigration policies have instilled fear in the Mexican community. They have decided to prioritize safety over profit by canceling the event.
ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watch
A historic Chicago parade, embracing Mexican heritage, is once again facing a detour.
The organizers of the annual Cinco de Mayo Parade and Festivities have called off the event, which was set to take place next month. They attribute this decision to the immigration policies associated with President Donald Trump’s administration.
“Our community members are living in fear,” stated Hector Escobar, the President of the Casa Puebla & Cermak Road Chamber of Commerce. “Some are hesitant to even go to work, while others are taking great risks. Consequently, there is not a lot 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.
“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.
Copyright © 2025 WLS-TV. All Rights Reserved.
