Economic Coercion: How Immigration Policy Affects the Bottom Line The ICE raids that swept through Chicago in 2025 sent a chilling message to immigrant communities across the city: stay indoors, or risk losing your livelihood and potentially even your family.
The immediate consequences of these actions were devastating for those directly affected, but a new study reveals the far reaching economic impact of this policy.
According to the report, ICE's tactics have been effective in silencing immigrant voices in Chicago. By creating an atmosphere of fear and intimidation, the raids suppressed consumer spending by $1. 26 billion.