CHICAGO (AP) — The two-year-old boy was so frightened, he stuttered. Mommy, mommy, mommy, he repeated, clinging to her as panic set in.
His mother, Molly Kucich, had been grocery shopping when her husband called, panicking, mentioning an immigration raid and tear gas. She quickly abandoned her cart and rushed to find her children, realizing they were among the hundreds of Chicago kids suddenly caught in the turmoil of the Trump administration's immigration crackdown.
Parents, teachers, and caregivers continue to grapple with how to explain such frightening events to children while attempting to shield them from the harsh realities around them.
Children were playing innocently in the Logan Square neighborhood when a federal SUV rolled down their street, followed by cars honking to alert residents of the approaching threat. Without warning, tear gas canisters were deployed, leaving many confused and terrified as the scene turned chaotic. Parents rushed through the streets, desperate to reach their children.
Owner of Luna y Cielo Play Cafe, Vanessa Aguirre-Ávalos, said, Even if ICE stops doing what they're doing right now, people are going to be traumatized. The damage is already done. As children and caregivers fled inside to safety, Aguirre-Ávalos reflected on the pervasive fear now woven into their community fabric.
With the neighborhood transformed into a tense environment filled with anxiety, educators like Liza Oliva-Perez struggled to maintain a sense of normalcy. She recalled witnessing the event unfold from her classroom window yet felt the need to downplay the horror to her students. For many in the community, the trauma and fear stemming from immigration enforcement has become an inescapable part of their lives, disrupting the peace that once resided in their corners of Chicago.
In the aftermath, families now face an uncertain reality, fearing for their safety, as a climate of fear and aggression continues to loom over them, intensified by past experiences and current policies.
