The Trump administration launched an aggressive Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operation in Chicago in September. The city’s Democratic mayor, Brandon Johnson, pushed back by enabling the imposition of “ICE-free zones”, which a number of businesses have adopted. Our Observer, who runs a thrift store in Chicago, joined the movement to protect vulnerable communities.
Issued on: 24/10/2025 -
By: The FRANCE 24 Observers/
Lise KIENNEMANN
Businesses across Chicago are posting signs to publicly bar entry to federal ICE agents. © Observers/TikTok
Shop fronts across the US are increasingly covered with messages such as, “ICE is not welcome here”, “I.C.E. off my property”, “Ice raids and deportation free zones” against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, as documented in videos shared on social media in recent weeks.
This pushback is particularly notable in the Chicago area. Since September 8, 2025, the region has been targeted by President Donald Trump's “Operation Midway Blitz” deportation drive. The action has resulted in more than 1,500 arrests across Illinois, according to the US Department of Homeland Security.
In response, Democratic Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson signed the “ice-free zone” executive order on October 6. The order bans ICE from using city property – such as city-owned parking lots – for civil immigration enforcement. It also invites private property owners to “join the citywide effort to safeguard [their] communities” by posting signs denying entry to ICE agents unless they can provide a judicial warrant.
'If we have a platform and the privilege to speak up', then 'it's our obligation to do that'
Among the local businesses that have posted signs opposing the ongoing ICE operations is The WasteShed, a nonprofit thrift store for art materials and school supplies with locations in Chicago and the northern suburb of Evanston.
A poster displayed at one of their locations depicts a hand holding a match whose flame melts an ice cube, topped by the words "ICE-FREE ZONE."
“ICE/CBP [Customs and Border Protection] agents do not have consent to enter this business unless they have a valid judicial warrant,” the sign further reads.
Shop fronts across the US are increasingly covered with messages such as, “ICE is not welcome here”, “I.C.E. off my property”, “Ice raids and deportation free zones” against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, as documented in videos shared on social media in recent weeks.
This pushback is particularly notable in the Chicago area. Since September 8, 2025, the region has been targeted by President Donald Trump's “Operation Midway Blitz” deportation drive. The action has resulted in more than 1,500 arrests across Illinois, according to the US Department of Homeland Security.
In response, Democratic Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson signed the “ice-free zone” executive order on October 6. The order bans ICE from using city property – such as city-owned parking lots – for civil immigration enforcement. It also invites private property owners to “join the citywide effort to safeguard [their] communities” by posting signs denying entry to ICE agents unless they can provide a judicial warrant.
'If we have a platform and the privilege to speak up', then 'it's our obligation to do that'
Among the local businesses that have posted signs opposing the ongoing ICE operations is The WasteShed, a nonprofit thrift store for art materials and school supplies with locations in Chicago and the northern suburb of Evanston.
A poster displayed at one of their locations depicts a hand holding a match whose flame melts an ice cube, topped by the words "ICE-FREE ZONE."
“ICE/CBP [Customs and Border Protection] agents do not have consent to enter this business unless they have a valid judicial warrant,” the sign further reads.
The sign at The WasteShed was created by staffer Abby Mendoza based on city guidelines. © Eleanor Ray / The Observers
The WasteShed executive director Eleanor Ray told the FRANCE 24 Observers team why she decided to put up the sign:
“There's been a huge amount of disruption and anxiety in Chicago recently because of ICE activity. ICE agents have been extremely aggressive and there've been lots of raids. The entire community is understandably very upset about it. ICE is clearly operating with basically total impunity.
We made our own signs to put up on the window – and in Spanish too – to communicate that we were opposed to what's going on and that we're thinking about it. We're trying to reassure our community that we are doing what we can to protect them.
We're not as affected as many other predominantly Mexican businesses in our neighbourhood, but we definitely have a substantial portion of our customer base that is Latino.
Social justice and environmental justice have always been a big part of our work. We're a community organisation. And I think that if we have a platform and the privilege to speak up for people in our community whom we care about, then it's our obligation to do that.”
The WasteShed executive director Eleanor Ray told the FRANCE 24 Observers team why she decided to put up the sign:
“There's been a huge amount of disruption and anxiety in Chicago recently because of ICE activity. ICE agents have been extremely aggressive and there've been lots of raids. The entire community is understandably very upset about it. ICE is clearly operating with basically total impunity.
We made our own signs to put up on the window – and in Spanish too – to communicate that we were opposed to what's going on and that we're thinking about it. We're trying to reassure our community that we are doing what we can to protect them.
We're not as affected as many other predominantly Mexican businesses in our neighbourhood, but we definitely have a substantial portion of our customer base that is Latino.
Social justice and environmental justice have always been a big part of our work. We're a community organisation. And I think that if we have a platform and the privilege to speak up for people in our community whom we care about, then it's our obligation to do that.”
ICE-free zones
Ray explained she considered posting such signs for weeks, saying the idea first took root around Trump’s election and gained urgency following the ICE raids in Los Angeles in June. She said she was “glad” her city signed the “ICE-free zone” order:
“When they passed the ordinance, I was like, ‘Ok, we've got an actual legal basis for telling these folks that they can't come into what is otherwise open to the public.’
Previously, only the private areas of a business were off-limits to them, so we had made sure to designate an area of our space as private.
When they passed this ordinance to let us create the entire premise as off-limits to ICE, we immediately put something up saying, ‘Don't come in here. We do not support or welcome your involvement in our community.’”
As a visible sign of support, The WasteShed also declared itself an “ICE-Free Zone” on its Instagram account.
In the caption, the business stressed its commitment to community safety: “We recognise that things are scary right now. We want everyone to feel safe and welcomed in our space… [We] will not cooperate with federal immigration enforcement.”
In an October 11 Instagram post, WasteShed declared itself an “ICE-free zone”.
Several organisations, including Illinois Workers in Action and the Immigrant Legal Resource Centre, have shared ready-to-use visuals for businesses to print, display or share on social media. The City of Chicago also distributed signs for free.
According to Ray, the signs have become “very widespread” among the community. “I think the community is pretty united around not wanting these guys [the ICE agents] here. Their priorities are not our priorities. Their tactics are not our tactics,” she told our team.
Several organisations, including Illinois Workers in Action and the Immigrant Legal Resource Centre, have shared ready-to-use visuals for businesses to print, display or share on social media. The City of Chicago also distributed signs for free.
According to Ray, the signs have become “very widespread” among the community. “I think the community is pretty united around not wanting these guys [the ICE agents] here. Their priorities are not our priorities. Their tactics are not our tactics,” she told our team.
This TikTok video, posted on October 11, shows a sign displayed on a business in the western Chicago suburb of Berwyn. The sign reads: “ICE/CBP agents do not have consent to enter this ice cream shop unless they have a valid judicial warrant.”
The White House’s rapid-response X account immediately condemned Mayor Johnson’s initiative, declaring: “This is SICK. He is aiding and abetting criminal illegal immigrant killers, rapists, traffickers, and gang bangers.”
‘Anyone who looks brown is understandably afraid’
For Ray, showing support is especially crucial as she is witnessing the raids' impact on community members:
“It's an absolutely terrifying time for a lot of people. Immigrant members of our community are afraid, and anyone who looks brown is understandably afraid because they're likely to get profiled. ICE is picking people off the street, and they're detaining people in under 10 minutes. They're not doing a very profound investigation into who people are or what their legal status is. They're just acting first and asking questions later. So people are avoiding unnecessary trips.
We've had to cancel some events because we were running some workshops that are based on Mexican folk craft, and the folks that were participating didn't feel comfortable coming out since the neighbourhood was getting raided, which is very understandable.”
The movement to create "ICE-free zones" is expanding beyond Chicago, with localities like California's Santa Clara County, in addition to Chicago suburb Evanston, also adopting similar policies in recent days.
The White House’s rapid-response X account immediately condemned Mayor Johnson’s initiative, declaring: “This is SICK. He is aiding and abetting criminal illegal immigrant killers, rapists, traffickers, and gang bangers.”
‘Anyone who looks brown is understandably afraid’
For Ray, showing support is especially crucial as she is witnessing the raids' impact on community members:
“It's an absolutely terrifying time for a lot of people. Immigrant members of our community are afraid, and anyone who looks brown is understandably afraid because they're likely to get profiled. ICE is picking people off the street, and they're detaining people in under 10 minutes. They're not doing a very profound investigation into who people are or what their legal status is. They're just acting first and asking questions later. So people are avoiding unnecessary trips.
We've had to cancel some events because we were running some workshops that are based on Mexican folk craft, and the folks that were participating didn't feel comfortable coming out since the neighbourhood was getting raided, which is very understandable.”
The movement to create "ICE-free zones" is expanding beyond Chicago, with localities like California's Santa Clara County, in addition to Chicago suburb Evanston, also adopting similar policies in recent days.
A TikTok video posted on October 12 shows a sign reading “ICE is not welcome here” displayed on a cinema in Washington, D.C., suburb of Greenbelt.
‘Nothing is enough right now’
While Ray calls the gesture "very little", she says posting such a sign is one way to fight back.
“I think everybody recognises that it's not enough and nothing is enough right now. But we're all just trying to figure out what we can control and make that happen.
I know that many mutual aid operations have been set up to drop off groceries for people to minimise points of vulnerability. There's also an elementary school on the other side of our block, where the majority of students are black and brown kids. So some neighbourhood watches have been set up to make sure that parents can safely pick up their kids after school. We've been trying to support efforts like that.”
‘Nothing is enough right now’
While Ray calls the gesture "very little", she says posting such a sign is one way to fight back.
“I think everybody recognises that it's not enough and nothing is enough right now. But we're all just trying to figure out what we can control and make that happen.
I know that many mutual aid operations have been set up to drop off groceries for people to minimise points of vulnerability. There's also an elementary school on the other side of our block, where the majority of students are black and brown kids. So some neighbourhood watches have been set up to make sure that parents can safely pick up their kids after school. We've been trying to support efforts like that.”
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