Chicago Rallies After ICE Detains Tamale Vendor

Laura Murillo, a well-known tamale vendor who has lived in the U.S. for about 20 years and owns a small restaurant, was detained by ICE Thursday while selling tamales near 47th Street and Western in Chicago’s Back of the Yards as part of a wider enforcement operation organizers identified as “Operation Midway Blitz.” Witnesses and video showed a large federal presence — including CBP vehicles — and multiple arrests near a Home Depot and BP station; Murillo’s fiancé said he was on a video call as she was taken and that she is being held at the Broadview processing facility. Murillo’s family says she has no criminal record and that she is a mother of three, including one child with special needs; relatives have secured an attorney and are arranging phone access and funds for her while she is detained. In response, neighbors and organizers bought out her tamales, “took over her shift,” and held a rally and fundraiser at the corner to support Murillo’s family and protest the raids. The arrests have prompted local outcry about aggressive enforcement in majority-Latino neighborhoods and renewed calls for community solidarity, legal aid and protections for street vendors.