On Mexican Independence Day, the streets of West Chicago filled with food, music, and chants as residents celebrated the holiday while also protesting against recent Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids. Doctor Jessica Fidens Muñoz organized the event, and many residents heard about the event through a flyer on Instagram and Facebook that drew hundreds of people who gathered in support of families affected by the raids.”So I was extremely anxious and just nervous when I heard that ice was here, and I was like, I need to do something about it,” Muñoz said.
While the raids brought out a lot of fear and worry in the community in the past days, many in the community showed up – not only for themselves but for friends and family who could not.
State Senator Karina Villa of the 25th District opened the celebrations with a speech, addressing residents who showed up to support fellow community members. Villa reflected on her own reaction when she first heard that Immigration and Customs Enforcement had appeared in West Chicago, her hometown, where she grew up, and later served as a social worker for 10 years.
“First and foremost, the immediate thought that I had when I got the call that ICE was here in West Chicago was: I need to protect the students. I need to protect our kids,” Villa said.
Dozens of flags – both American and Mexican alike – waved across the parade route: draped over shoulders, tied to car windows, and lifted high on poles and sticks. Some were even sewn together, combining American and Mexican flags to represent unity. “Unidos! Jamas serna vencidos,” the crowd chanted throughout the town. “United! We will never be defeated.”
At the front of the parade, a large Mexican flag rose above the crowd – held up to represent the independence celebrated on Sept. 16, but also standing as a symbol of resilience. For many, it represented not only national pride but also the strength of a community facing recent ICE raids.
Wearing the colors of the Mexican flag became a powerful statement of pride and resistance – soccer jerseys, in particular, stood out. Kids came out with their jerseys to support the community just hours after stepping off their buses, even as schools were reportedly swarmed with ICE agents.
Mayor Daniel Bovey and his wife, Jody, joined the parade dressed in soccer jerseys and tejanas, celebrating Independence Day while showing support for their community.
“I think this is very cathartic for the people to be able to be together and see that we are in this together,” Daniel Bovey said.
(Photo by Ruby Guerrero)
As West Chicago police led the parade safely through the town, one rider made his own statement: following close behind on his motorcycle, he wore a Mexican flag across his back, and carried a backpack flashing a digital message for ICE agents.
The parade and protest stretched from 7-8 p.m., winding through downtown before returning to the town square for music and celebration. Escorted by police officers, residents marched from Main Street across the Wilson Avenue bridge, then onto East Blair and Joliet Streets before circling back along Conde Street. Chants echoed off the nearby brick buildings as the crowd returned to town square, where they danced and celebrated.
Local musician Alexis Mendez, the son of immigrant parents, performed during the downtown gathering that followed the parade and protest. Crowds formed around the popular El Coco Loco restaurant as Mendez and his band started by singing a popular ranchera song, “Caminos de Michoacan,” a song that highlights the cultural heritage of the country, specifically the state of Michoacan.
Villa’s presence carried extra weight: just days earlier, she went viral on national and local news for the actions she took Sept. 15 when ICE first appeared in West Chicago. Videos circulated on social media of Villa running on the streets and alerting residents to stay inside, and telling ICE. agents to leave her city.
“Es una bendición grande tener una mujer como ella [Villa] de senadora, es una guerrera,” Evelia Montenegro, longtime West Chicago resident, said. “It is a blessing having this woman as a senator; she is a warrior.”
This story was originally published on Wildcat Chronicle on September 19, 2025.