By Veronica Garza and Ayana Hyland
@redlineproject
For years, Jose Luis Tejeda and his wife, Graciela, have sold tamales on the corner of 26th Street and South Lawndale Avenue in Little Village. He came to the United States in the 1970s and, like many immigrants, lived through a cycle of ups and downs. Back in his hometown of Teocaltiche, Mexico, he worked as a carpenter, supporting himself and his family from a very young age.
Tejeda moved his family to Chicago hoping to find a better life — chasing the American Dream he had heard so much about. When he arrived, he quickly realized that being undocumented meant his carpentry skills would only get him so far, so he decided to bring a piece of home: his mother’s cooking.
Being surrounded by a thriving Mexican community and the long tradition of street vending along 26th Street, Tejada felt inspired to sell homemade food.
“At first, business was going extremely well, my wife and I would sell tamales out of our little cart,” he said “But ever since COVID, business slowed down, and even more so when ICE operations began … people didn’t want to go outside.”
Like many other vendors, he found himself juggling two difficult choices: stay in the neighborhood and push through uncertainty, or return to Mexico, where he says the drug cartel situation has only grown more dangerous. It’s a reality many immigrants grapple with, yet the courage, pride and resilience of vendors like Tejada are what keep the Mexican culture alive in Little Village.
“[The vendors] are extremely important to the culture because a majority of 26th Street, you see, is a majority Mexicans … majority Hispanics, and what we bring are reminders of Mexico,” Tejeda said.
Other vendors across Little Village shared the same feelings as Tejada. Melisa, a vendor in the Discount Mall located on 26th and Whipple streets, said places like the mall play a crucial role in keeping Mexican culture alive.
“I feel as though it’s extremely important,” she said,” It’s one of the only places that have multiple tiny stores filled with Mexican products and the majority of us here are Latinos.”
For Melisa, the Discount Mall is more than just vendors, it’s a cultural anchor of the neighborhood that brings pieces of home.
Ricardo, a vendor who sells trinkets along 26th Street, sees his job not only as a continuation of tradition, but as a lifeline.
“Well, I think it’s really important, all of this” he said, “Because it’s what supports our families”
Even with the pride and cultural weight vendors carry, the atmosphere in Little Village has shifted noticeably since the ICE operations began. Melisa said the change is clear in her day-to-day interactions with customers.
“The people don’t want to come out, they’re scared, and if they don’t come out, they don’t buy,” she said.
What was once a jam-packed mall became a ghost town. Empty streets and cautious glances fill the once-thriving 26th Street.
The cause for such a disruption in Little Village is Operation Midway Blitz, a federal, large-scale campaign that was launched early September 2025 by the Department of Homeland Security in Chicago under the Trump Administration. The initial purpose was to target specifically undocumented people with any previous criminal charges or gang affiliations. Social media and self-reported videos from citizens and journalists showed differently.
Although the main purpose of these raids was to target “undocumented” people, racial-profiling and stopping people without reasonable suspicion have been well-documented. ICE agents have been caught breaking car windows, harassing people on the bus stop, and attacking students on school property.
Hispanic neighborhoods across Chicago have been targeted by these raids, which has prompted the vendors to fear for their safety and possibly lose business because customers are afraid to go out.
But a tamale stand on 31st Street and Central Park, run by Betty for over 17 years, has an encouraging take on the situation.
“I don’t fear them,” she said of the ICE officers. “Trust me, when this all began they were patrolling us everyday and I prayed and entrusted in God and he hid our tamale stand from those people.”
Betty said she has had many encounters with ICE and when asked what is something that has surprised her about this whole situation, it’s how people from this country have come to their aid.
“It’s so beautiful seeing how people who are citizens from this country who aren’t at all affected by this come to our defense, it gives me hope for the future,” she said. “ This isn’t just a political issue anymore. It’s a social issue and what’s happening now is racism and prejudice.”
Betty said she understands immigration laws exist, just like anywhere else, but believes attacking hardworking people who are stimulating the economy should not be targeted.
“We are not criminals,” she said. “We came to this country for a better life, I have a daughter back in Veracruz and we didn’t cross a border to come and play around. We came to build better lives for our families.”
Betty came to the United States about 20 years ago. She had previously studied law back in Mexico but came to the United States in pursuit of a better life for her and her daughters. She knows that with time and faith in God there can be a fix to all of this. Her final thoughts were these.
“I hope for this government to stop trying to form a divide between people, between the Latino community, and I hope their hearts are moved,” she said. “Forming a divide between people isn’t what God wanted and I know entrusting him is what has helped me and my family see the light during these very hard times.”
Read more: Broadview ICE facility sparks turmoil among Chicagoans | Essay: Operation Midway Blitz violating due process, other legal standards