Ahead of the weekend celebrations, Philadelphia and Chicago canceled their annual Cinco de Mayo parades out of fear that their community would be targeted by ICE raids. The holiday celebrates the Mexican victory over the French in the Battle of Puebla in 1862. The parades usually draw tens of thousands of people. But with attacks from the Trump administration targeting immigrant communities, like a recent 4-day raid in Florida which arrested nearly 800 people, organizers were worried for the safety of their community.
There is no doubt that people have every reason to be scared. The US government’s support of Trump’s racist policies labeling immigrants as dangerous criminals have made people fear leaving their homes, without being targeted! Even in cities like Detroit that still held large parades, people noted a quieter atmosphere, marked by the fear.
Holidays like Cinco de Mayo are a chance to celebrate the diversity in the United States. Mexican immigrants contribute to the richness of culture we get to enjoy. Immigrant labor is crucial to keeping this country running. Now more than ever we need to show up for each other and honor our stories. This Cinco de Mayo we say, “No human being is illegal!”
