Liberators in Action: Chicago Neighbors

Across the country, in cities where immigrant communities are being targeted by ICE, neighbors are collectively organizing to protect one another. Church basements, school gymnasiums, and community centers have turned into makeshift help hubs offering food, toiletries, and other essentials to families afraid to leave home—ordinary working people, not criminals, but parents and children trying to live their lives in peace. Even people with legal documentation are staying inside, fearful that their skin color alone could make them a target as has happened countless times.

In Chicago’s Ravenswood neighborhood, dozens of residents gathered to form a human chain of safe passage around Chappell Elementary School. The gesture, first reported in an Axios article, was both symbolic and practical—neighbors protecting neighbors. At a nearby church, volunteers packed hundreds of small kits containing whistles and printed guides on how to alert others if ICE is spotted. “We can’t wait for someone to save us; we have to help each other now,” said Michelle, one of the organizers. Dan, another volunteer, added, “If this is what it takes to protect them, I’m gonna be here.”

Parents like Michael Elliott, whose fifth-grader attends McPherson Elementary, say they want their children to grow up in a community rooted in care. “We love the city of Chicago and don’t believe in what’s going on with ICE,” he said. “We want to do our part.”

What these neighbors are doing is what liberators do—providing relief from fear and isolation for families. The people standing guard at those school sidewalks may not know every family they’re protecting, but their care reaches beyond familiarity or obligation. It’s the kind of generous courage that says, you’re not alone, we’ve got you. 

Photo: Monica Eng/Axios