Hispanic Heritage Month 2025 marked by celebrations of culture and concern over ICE raids
ABC57--- Monday marked the start of Hispanic Heritage Month. However, this year, celebrations come at a moment of concern for many families amid President Trump's immigration crackdown. Some cities and organizations have canceled events due to safety concerns over Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids, while others are moving forward to honor tradition.
Hispanic Heritage Month runs Sept. 15 through Oct. 15 and commemorates Mexican and Central American independence days, sparking cultural festivals across the United States' Hispanic population, including right here in Michiana.
“1821, that’s when they got independent from Spain. And so, our festival celebrates that," said Felix Marquez, president of the board of directors at 93.5, Radio Sabor Latino. "And why do we do this? Because we want to make sure our kids, our grandkids, don’t forget about where they came from.”
Celebrations in 2025 are already looking different. Radio Sabor Latino canceled its annual festival in South Bend.
"Unfortunately, due to everything that is happening around the country with immigration and the raids, and ICE coming to communities and just uprooting people from their homes, from their communities. We as an organization didn’t think it would be a good idea to do this event," Marquez said. "We didn’t want to have people at one location and have a bad soul or a bad person colonize and say, ‘hey, there’s a whole bunch of Latinos or Hispanics.'"
Under President Trump's second administration, his immigration crackdown is taking form as mass arrests and ICE raids, often without proper due process, often targeting Hispanic and Latino communities.
"What we are seeing with what’s happening is that ICE doesn’t care whether you’re here legally or not; they base it on the color of your skin. They base it on your last name,” Marquez said. “It’s not just going to affect those who are undocumented. But it’s also going to affect those who are documented as well. And so, we don’t want to put people at risk.”
The City of Chicago canceled one major annual celebration. Normally in Grant Park, the "El Grito Chicago" event will go indoors at a local church, as ICE's "Operation Midway Blitz" is carried out.
"I think we just encourage people to keep their heads up. Celebrate in other ways that you can. There are other celebrations going on. You know, if you are undocumented, stay home and stay safe," said Korina Sanchez, El Grito Chicago organizer.
Globally-famous Puerto Rican artist Bad Bunny is choosing not to perform in the mainland United States for the same reasons: fear of sparking mass ICE arrests.
"El mes de la herencia hispana es un ejemplo no de cómo, la comunidad hispana/latina ha sido aceptaba en el estado unidos. Pero desafortunadamente, por el gobierno que tenemos, puede ver que esto vaya a afectar como se celebra a nivel nacional," Marquez said. (Translation: “Hispanic Heritage Month is an example of how the Hispanic/Latino community has been accepted in the United States. But unfortunately, from the government we have, you can see that this will affect how it’s celebrated nationally.")
But some local organizations are moving forward with their festivities, such as the Hispanic Heritage Market in Elkhart over the weekend.
"One thing that we say in the Latino community is que, 'si se puede,'" which means "yes, we can," said organizer Adriana Bontreger. "No matter what comes across for us, 'si se puede.' You just have to keep going."
Bontreger said fear should not get in the way of celebrating one's culture.
"Embrace it however you can, even if it's at home, if it's small, if it's with your church, with your neighbors, with colleagues at work, be proud," she said. "I mean, the United States was founded by immigrants."
ABC57 caught up with Litzy Gonzalez, owner of El Burro Loco, at the Hispanic Heritage Market.
"Todos lo que estamos aquí, estamos con un propósito. Y simplemente es para cumplir nuestros sueños. Y no hacemos nada malo menos que hacer unas personas trabajadoras y honradas," Gonzalez said. (Translation: "All of us are here with a purpose. It is simply to fulfill our dreams. And we are doing nothing wrong other than making hardworking and honest people.")
ABC57 also reached out to one of Michiana's primary resources for the Hispanic community, La Casa de Amistad.
"Hispanic Heritage Month this year has seen a lot of different moments of doubt or maybe a fear within our community, and we are fully understanding of that," said Dara Marquez, director of community engagement. "We are fully present to ensure that all of our community knows all of our rights, and our community continues to thrive and grow together."
La Casa de Amistad is also moving forward with its annual event.
"I wouldn't say it's not necessarily not showing fear, because that is a pretty valid feeling," Dara Marquez said, "so being able to continue celebrating and highlighting who we are is not to strip away any fear, but it's to remind us of our rights and of our value here in our community."
"Many of us have lived here in this region for 20, 30 years," Dara Marquez continued. "It's a reminder that we've been here, and we mean to stay here."
At a time when fear and division run rampant, local Hispanic leaders seek to empower their community.
"I think that's the root thing of us, of different cultures, of Hispanics coming to the United States, is that ‘si se puede’ anything," Bontrager said. "We are the true image of the American dream.
La Casa de Amistad will have its celebration Sept. 23, starting at 5:30 at its South Bend location.
This story was pitched and set up by some of ABC57's Hispanic colleagues. Those who helped on this story are: assignment editor, Dulce Carrillo, 6 p.m. producer, Coty Diaz, and two photographers, Pablo Pena and Dianey Vega.