In recent weeks, Chicago and its suburbs, colloquially referred to as Chicagoland, have become ground zero for unprecedented Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol operations. Perhaps emboldened by a recent Supreme Court ruling that permits race-based stops in Los Angeles, Chicagoland’s Latino communities, in particular, are bearing the brunt of the “enforcement” efforts, which often looks like individuals being picked up off of the street by masked men in varying degree of uniform and identification and whisked away in unmarked cars, or worse.
Importantly, as the ACLU reminds us, “undocumented presence alone is not a violation of federal criminal law.” No matter, the effect has upended life for Chicagoland’s residents. Local business owners claim that the fear and uncertainty related to ICE raids and Border Patrol have brought sales to a standstill and many are warning they may be forced to close.
Now, Chicagoland beauty professionals are weighing in. Logan Parlor owner Jamie DiGrazia tells The Tease, “What’s happening here is racist, unjust and terrorizing. It’s a disgrace and dehumanizing.” She adds, “I can’t believe it’s happening.”
Wanting to understand the impact the raids and patrols are having on Chicagoland residents and what they’re actually being told to do by officials, The Tease got in touch with Bethany Jados, Logan Parlor’s manager — also an adviser to DiGrazia’s HAIR HAS NO GENDER. Read on for our conversation.
The Tease: In recent days, DHS has stepped up ICE raids throughout Chicagoland, reportedly even going so far as to repel from a helicopter to clear out an apartment building, using zip ties to restrain children — you are based in Logan Square, if you could, tell us what you’re seeing.
Bethany Jados: One of our clients is a teacher, and one of her students was caught up in that raid. ICE tried to detain a vendor just down the street from our salon, and she ran into a nearby drugstore seeking sanctuary. Agents were posted at the end of our block. But what stands out the most is how our community is stepping up, people are looking out for each other, offering protection and support in real, tangible ways.
The Governor of Illinois has been outspoken about encouraging everyone to document what they’re seeing specific to ICE — and social media videos are pouring in, including those showing the Chicagoland community coming together to protect each other. Does that surprise you at all? How are you feeling with the increased ICE presence?
Jados: Honestly, I’m not surprised. This is Chicago and we look out for each other. In neighborhoods where people are being criminalized just for existing, folks figured out how to mobilize fast. Of course, the increased ICE presence is terrifying. There’s constant tension. Parents are getting dragged out of their cars in pick up lines while they are waiting to pick up their kids to school, people are afraid to go to work or even step outside some days. But alongside that fear, I’m feeling pride. Pride in how our neighbors are showing up, protecting one another, and refusing to let anyone be taken quietly.
I understand that in visiting with your alderman, you’d been given some advice. Would you please share it with our readers who may find themselves in Chicagoland or in another city that may be targeted by ICE?
Jados: Our alderperson gave us some practical and potentially life-saving advice. First, they provided the number for the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights Hotline, 855-435-7693, where people can report ICE activity or get help if someone has been detained. They also stressed the importance of documenting any ICE encounters: record from a safe distance, but don’t go live, just record and save the footage. We were given a sign to post on our door, clearly stating that we will not open the door to ICE without a warrant. And if someone is seeking sanctuary, we were told to bring them into a room marked “Private.” These steps might seem small, but they can make a big difference in protecting people’s rights.
The current administration has referred to Illinois and Chicago as “war-torn” and gone so far as to call for the governor and mayor to be jailed for “not protecting ice officers,” without producing any case or cause. How do you even respond to that?
Jados: That’s complete and utter nonsense. Illinois and Chicago are not “war-torn,” and saying so is pure political fear-mongering. Calling for the governor and mayor to be jailed? That’s authoritarian garbage. And if Trump were genuinely concerned about protecting the city or combating gun violence, he wouldn’t have slashed $468 million from the ATF, the very agency tasked with stopping the flow of illegal guns into Chicago. There’s nothing to respond to here. It’s an outrageous, baseless rant that doesn’t deserve to be treated like a serious argument.
What do you want beauty pros across the country to know about what’s happening now in Chicago and Illinois?
Jados: I want beauty pros, and everyone really, to understand that what’s happening in Chicago is serious, and it’s real. ICE raids are tearing through our neighborhoods, terrifying families, and disrupting daily life. People are being targeted for simply existing, and the trauma that leaves behind is deep. But what’s just as real is the way our communities are stepping up. In the face of fear, people are choosing solidarity. Neighbors are watching out for each other, getting loud, sharing resources, and taking direct action to protect those at risk.
In our salon, on our block, and throughout the city, folks are refusing to stand by while their neighbors are harassed or detained. We’re seeing everyone become first responders in a different kind of emergency. So to beauty professionals: know that your salon, your chair, your business can be a space of safety and resistance. Whether you’re in Chicago or anywhere else, you can prepare, get informed, and stand ready to protect your community too. What’s happening here could happen anywhere, and solidarity is something we can all build, no matter where we are.
