Signs went up over the weekend in Chicago’s Little Village informing passersby that several Latino-owned restaurants, stores, and other businesses would be closed this coming Monday, February 3 for a “Day Without Immigrants.”
In Chicago, the protests aren’t as widespread as in 2017 when more than 50 restaurants loudly announced eight years ago that they would close to oppose Trump’s call to build a border wall during the president’s first term. Those closings happened on a Thursday. This time around, the Day Without Immigrants falls on a Monday, a day of the week when many Chicago restaurants are closed. For many Chicagoans, dining plans won’t be radically impacted as participants strive to show the country that the flavors and foods they love so much wouldn’t exist in America if they weren’t allowed to exist in America.
Still, many in the restaurant industry wanted to make a statement, as workers have spent the last week or so preparing what to do if a federal agent shows up at their doors. They’ve dealt with misinformation spread on social media, trying to separate their fears from realities.
Carlos Covarrubias is the owner of Xurro, a churro chain with about 50 locations around Chicago and two in Florida. They employ about 50 together and all remained at home on Monday. Covarrubias also owns Isthmo, a Oaxacan restaurant in Lakeview; and Raizes Mexican Cocktail Bar & Kitchen in North Center. Both are normally closed on Mondays.
For Covarrubias, the federal government’s actions in 2025 “are more personal to our culture and our race.” Covarrubias tells Eater that he feels that “Hispanics and colored people” are more targeted by Immigrants and Customs Enforcement raids. He decided last week, after numerous workers asked, to close his business to support his communities. Over the last few days, he’s seen what the threat has done to Little Village, a neighborhood full of immigrants. Workers are staying away from their jobs. Customers are staying away from stores and restaurants. Covarrubias took to Instagram to share the reasoning behind his decision and mentioned his father who emigrated in 1970 from Jalisco, Mexico. Xurro would not be possible without his father’s dedication and sacrifices.
“By pausing our operations, we want their voices to be heard and advocate for a more inclusive society, one that recognizes the contributions of immigrants to our culture and economy,” Covarrubias wrote on Xurro’s Instagram page.
The first Day Without Immigrants took place in 2017, but the movement has its roots in a 2006 protest that took place nationwide. Another business that shut down for the day was La Michoacana Premium, as did Perkolator Coffee. Even though many restaurants weren’t open, they felt the impact of the protest. For example, restaurants that ordered produce from Francisco Produce in Norwood Park had to make reschedule orders. The Mexican-owned vendor did not make deliveries on Monday.
The price of goods was on a lot of chefs’ minds on Monday with Trump threatening tariffs on goods from Mexico. How will the rising costs of avocados impact the price of guacamole? For high-end restaurants that love their heirloom corn used for tortillas, how will the rising costs of corn impact their prices? With all the uncertainty, many felt relief from news that the tariffs had been delayed.
Colombian native Felipe Ospina, a restaurant industry veteran who works for Sysco, doesn’t see how working on the threat of deportation is sustainable for immigrants who have proven their worth to America.
“They’re the backbone to many, many, many restaurants — they do not harm anyone,” he says.
Ospina points out that America doesn’t make the road to citizenship easy, even though many undocumented residents have pumped millions of dollars into the economy. The Census 2022 American Community Survey estimates that immigrants, including those undocumented, contribute $382.9 billion to federal taxes and $196.3 billion in state and local taxes.
The federal government may say they’re focusing on criminals, but they’re sending fear throughout entire communities. Ospina says the government has ignored that human element. But he’s hopeful that these post-inaugural antics will subside.
“I’m crossing my fingers that it should stop and slow down to allow people to live their normal lives,” he says.
2025-02-03T23:31:05Z