People’s Patrol volunteers interact with immigrant children in Hanover Park, a Chicago suburb, on October 10, 2025.
Sergio Martínez-Beltrán/NPR
HANOVER PARK, Ill. – A group of children gathers near the corner, some pedaling their bikes while others run eagerly. Their destination is the narrow space between a local grocery store and an aging apartment complex – a spot frequently visited by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) vehicles.
“We heard they were here, so we came,” one child explains to a friend.
By “they,” he refers to ICE officers. The children are prepared to capture footage of the latest immigration enforcement activity unfolding in their neighborhood.
Nearby, Ruby, a volunteer with Patrulla Popular (the People’s Patrol), approaches the youngsters. She requests to be identified only by her first name, fearing repercussions for her efforts to alert residents about ICE’s movements.
“Make sure you stay safe, okay? Be cautious,” Ruby advises. She encourages the kids to document what they observe but to maintain a safe distance. This evidence could later help identify undocumented immigrants detained by federal agents.
Ruby also emphasizes the importance of warning others in the vicinity when ICE is nearby, handing out whistles to the children.
“If you spot a suspicious person or vehicle, give a short whistle,” she instructs. “But if someone is being detained, blow the whistle loudly and continuously.”
Children in Hanover Park have taken on the role of informal neighborhood watchers, alerting residents to ICE activity.
Sergio Martínez-Beltrán/NPR
Ruby is among a rising number of volunteers, alongside advocates and attorneys, who patrol Chicago and its suburbs. Their mission is to warn migrants about ICE presence, notify families of those detained, and connect detainees with legal aid.
From the balcony of the apartment building, several immigrant adults-many undocumented-listen attentively as Ruby reminds them of their rights when confronted by ICE.
“Never sign anything before consulting with a lawyer,” she advises firmly in Spanish.
Residents here have lived in fear since last month, when the Trump administration intensified immigration crackdowns in Illinois through ICE’s Operation Midway Blitz.
Diana, a Mexican mother of two who asked to be identified only by her first name due to her undocumented status, watches anxiously.
“I’m terrified; I don’t want to leave my home,” she confides in Spanish.
She has witnessed neighbors being pursued by immigration officers. Many adults in the building have chosen to stay indoors, skipping work and keeping their children home from school.
Yet, Diana finds hope in one individual.
Seventeen-year-old Ivan has assumed an unexpected role as a community guardian, often patrolling the neighborhood from early morning hours.
“I’m not a cop or anything, but I look out for my community,” Ivan says. “I don’t want anyone to be deported.”
For privacy, Ivan is identified only by his first name as he is a minor.
He describes ICE arrests in the area as nearly daily occurrences. Recently, he recorded a raid at the local grocery store.
Ivan vigilantly watches for unfamiliar vehicles, suspecting they might be ICE. His aim is to give migrants enough warning to hide or escape.
“These people keep the U.S. running,” he says. “Without them, how would this country function?”
Cristóbal Cavazos, a People’s Patrol organizer, broadcasts live on Facebook to inform immigrant communities about ICE activity in Chicago’s suburbs on October 10, 2025.
Sergio Martínez-Beltrán/NPR
Cristóbal Cavazos, co-founder of Casa DuPage Workers Center and a People’s Patrol volunteer, is always prepared to confront ICE agents using peaceful methods, such as creating loud disturbances.
“I’ll grab my bullhorn and start making noise. People honk their horns and gather around,” Cavazos explains. “ICE gets uneasy, looks around, and wonders if it’s worth continuing.”
However, federal immigration officers have increasingly resorted to aggressive tactics.
Recently, Border Patrol agents used tear gas to disperse protesters on Chicago’s East Side after a collision involving officers and a suspect they were pursuing.
Cavazos acknowledges that tracking ICE movements and sometimes following agents to alert the community is challenging, especially as the Department of Homeland Security accuses activists like him of obstructing law enforcement and endangering officers.
The Trump administration has openly criticized volunteers such as Cavazos, accusing them of interfering with immigration enforcement and putting agents at risk.
“There’s definitely fear,” Cavazos admits. “But true community activists do what’s right for their people despite that fear… because these are frightening times.”
Still, he remains resolute.
Each morning, with a cup of mate tea in hand, Cavazos checks his phone for any reports of ICE sightings in the Chicago suburbs.
He views the People’s Patrol as more than just a safety network for migrants; it’s a stand for free speech and the right to protest-principles he believes the current administration is trying to suppress.
