Overview
- Little Village’s Cinco de Mayo parade was called off for a second year, and on Tuesday businesses along 26th Street reported sparse crowds and weak sales.
- Community leaders said fear tied to federal immigration operations kept families home, with one chamber president describing officers now detaining people in alleys rather than through visible neighborhood patrols.
- The Cermak Road Chamber estimates parade weekend typically brings $6 million to $8 million in sales to restaurants, vendors, and shops on the corridor.
- Owners including Laura Gutierrez of Nuevo Leon and Marcos Carbajal of Carnitas Uruapan described a quiet holiday and urged customers to support Mexican restaurants.
- Local efforts now focus on recovery, with the Little Village Chamber promoting Small Business Week from May 12 to 16, and reports note similar Cinco de Mayo cancellations in other U.S. cities for the same safety concerns.