On Saturday, a vigil for two men killed during immigration enforcement traffic stops became a march through Michigan Avenue. The event brought together hundreds to challenge the Trump administration’s intensified immigration policies.
The gathering began around 11 a.m. in Grant Park to honor Lorenzo Salgado Araujo from Mexico and Joan Sebastian Guerrero from Colombia. Araujo was killed in Houston on July 7, and Guerrero died during an operation in Maine shortly thereafter. Megan Sullivan from the advocacy group Singing Resistance stood as Lady Liberty at the vigil, highlighting the grief over those allegedly killed by federal agents.
At the event, Rev. Hannah Kardon from the United Church of Rogers Park encouraged attendees to remember the deceased and strive for a compassionate world. This vigil was organized by four Chicago advocacy groups aiming to end the violence against immigrants. Despite a pause in vehicle stops ordered by the Department of Homeland Security, reports of immigration raids continue to instill fear among immigrant communities.
Since the commencement of Trump’s second term, ICE and Border Patrol agents have reportedly killed 11 individuals, with over 50 dying in ICE custody, as detailed by the National Immigrant Justice Center. Volunteers at the vigil displayed more than 60 signs with the names of the deceased. Monarch butterflies, symbols of migration journeys, were carried as part of the demonstration. Singing Resistance Chicago led chants and songs, offering participants solace in protest.
Mark Osing, a local resident, conveyed that recent enforcement actions in Chicago have spurred his involvement in advocacy. He plans to continue opposing mass deportations, hoping rallies will attract new supporters. Others in attendance recalled the Operation Midway Blitz last fall, whose impact left lingering fears among immigrant families. Melody Rose expressed that the trauma experienced during federal raid operations remains vivid and affects everyday life.
Alderman Michael Rodriguez, representing the 22nd Ward, recounted last year’s immigration enforcement in Little Village, where masked agents detained several community members. Rodriguez urged the crowd to honor those impacted and to seek justice through remembrance and action.
The shootings renewed debates about using traffic stops for immigration enforcement. President Trump criticized the pause in vehicle stops and defended them as effective crime-fighting tools. Despite the Department of Homeland Security’s lack of clarity on arrests during traffic stops, immigration advocates remain concerned about quotas being met through courthouse arrests.
During the vigil, Laura Garza from Arise Chicago read names of those who died in ICE and Border Patrol custody. Attendees, including Morna Brothers and Melinda Gordon, felt a duty to remember each victim. Gordon emphasized the importance of acknowledging each individual’s story and hoped the vigil would awaken a sense of humanity.
Shortly after noon, participants used chalk to write the names of the deceased on the sidewalks. The march proceeded from Grant Park onto Michigan Avenue, accompanied by police officers. Passing notable landmarks like the Art Institute of Chicago and Millennium Park, the procession drew applause and support from onlookers. Jill Gray, visiting from Iowa, expressed pride in those protesting against injustice.