WAUKEGAN, Ill. – The largest Mexican Independence Day parade and festival in north suburban Waukegan has been postponed until November, organizers announced Wednesday.
The delay comes after concerns tied to President Donald Trump’s threat of sending the National Guard and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to the Chicago area.
What we know:
The Fiestas Patrias Parade and Festival was originally scheduled for Sept. 14.
Instead, the event will take place in November and be combined with Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead).
Organizers cited “the threat of a large-scale ICE operation, including the deployment of the National Guard from six red states to assist in immigration and domestic law enforcement operations” in Chicago, Cook County and Lake County.
This is the first postponement in the event’s 30-year history.
The parade and festival typically feature more than 100 vendors, 100 horses, six Mexican-style bands and a three-mile parade route, according to Margaret Carrasco, president of Fiesta Patrias in Waukegan, the sponsoring organization.
Carrasco said a U.S. Department of Homeland Security official in the Great Lakes region advised that large public celebrations of Mexican Independence Day should be canceled, warning they may be targeted by immigration enforcement.
What’s next:
On Wednesday, Gov. J.B. Pritzker reiterated his belief that Trump will deploy National Guard troops and ICE agents to the Chicago area, possibly as soon as this weekend.
A timeline for the agents’ arrival has not been released.
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The Source: The information in this article was provided by organizers of the Fiestas Patrias Day Parade and Festival.