Camilla Forte/Borderless Magazine/Catchlight Local/Report for AmericaFrom the ripple effects of ICE operations to the rollback of deportation protections and community resistance, Borderless Magazine breaks down the leading stories of 2025.
In 2025, Borderless Magazine has been at the forefront of Chicago’s rapidly shifting immigration landscape. Our reporters and photojournalists have captured how heightened enforcement is reshaping the city and the lives of immigrants.
We spoke with community leaders and activists about how cultural celebrations have transformed into spaces for resistance. We documented the ripple effects of ICE operations in neighborhoods like Little Village, listening as whistles sounded warnings during aggressive sweeps. At food pantries, we heard firsthand from families on how the government shutdown is deepening the hunger crisis for immigrant communities.
Through it all, we’ve worked to tell the stories that matter, shining a light on the resilience and challenges facing Chicago’s immigrants this year.
News that puts power under the spotlight and communities at the center.
Sign up for our free newsletter and get updates twice a week.
As we approach the final weeks of 2025 and look ahead to 2026, here are some of the top immigration stories we covered this past year:
Immigrant Families Face Deepening Hunger Crisis as SNAP Cuts Meet Deportation Fears
Hundreds of immigrant families in Illinois slipped deeper into food insecurity amid Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) cuts or eligibility changes this year. The cuts arrived as heightened immigration enforcement increased fears of ICE encounters among immigrant families.
Reporters Tara Mobasher and Aydali Campa visited Chicago’s food pantries to speak with families who are struggling to make ends meet.
After Judge Grants Illinois Man Bond, ICE is Keeping Him Locked Up: ‘I Pray to God that He Comes Out’
In July, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) directed trial attorneys to oppose bond grants for individuals who entered the U.S. without inspection. The directive has raised concerns among attorneys and advocacy groups who say this change could lead to the detention of immigrants for months or years.
Reporter Chelsea Verstegen explores the frustrations and anxieties of immigrants in detention — speaking with the family of an Illinois man fighting for freedom, despite a judge granting him bond.
Chicago’s Goth Artists Support Immigrants Through Their Music: ‘We’re…Fighting the Good Fight’
As back-to-back ICE raids swept Chicago’s neighborhoods, immigrant rights groups, community leaders and local organizations stepped up to expand advocacy efforts. For Chicago’s Goth Scene, organizers were ignited by more than just a passion for music; they sought to make a difference for immigrant communities as ICE raids intensified.
“We wanted it to be a space where people know they can reach out, get help, and see that people are out there who love their families, who love their community,” organizer Natalie Flores said.
‘We Feel Like We Hit a Brick Wall’: Migrant Soup Kitchen Faces Eviction
Chicago has a rich history of mutual aid work supporting immigrants. Earlier this year, a community kitchen run by and for migrants, which provided free hot meals, clothing and a safe space for migrant children to play, faced eviction. This came as Chicago’s immigrants faced a triple-crisis this year: homelessness, food insecurity and increased deportations under the Trump administration.
Cofounder and executive director, Nissa Rhee, alongside bilingual deputy editor, Hillary Flores, dug through court documents, spoke with lawyers and the immigrants involved in the soup kitchen to uncover what led to this eviction and what’s next.
‘We Need Help’: Local Organizations Step Up as Undocumented Immigrants Lose State Health Coverage
In 2025, Illinois politicians approved Gov. JB Pritzker’s budget, which included the elimination of the Health Benefits for Immigrant Adults Program(HBIA), impacting healthcare coverage for immigrants between the ages of 42 and 64 — covering doctor and hospital care, lab tests, therapy and mental health services.
Reporter Tara Mobasher and Borderless intern, Lucy Baptiste, spoke with community leaders, experts and noncitizens to spotlight how undocumented immigrants are navigating a new reality without health insurance, and how local groups are responding.
Chicago Medical Students Create ‘Safety Net Clinic’ for Noncitizens
In the face of federal pressures, immigrant communities in Illinois faced fewer health care options this year. However, one mobile health clinic merged as a vessel of hope. The clinic, run by the Mobile Migrant Health Team (MMHT) with support from the Figuerora Wu Family Foundation, has become an entry point into the American health care system for many immigrants.
In collaboration with Northeastern Illinois University, student journalists Leslie Lozada and Jasmine Rodriguez spoke with healthcare professionals who are stepping up to provide health services to immigrants lacking resources.
How Chicago Communities Are Resisting ICE Raids
In cities like Chicago, Los Angeles and New York, federal immigration officials ramped up deportations to detain immigrants in neighborhoods, restaurants, courtrooms and homes— leaving immigrant families on edge. At Don Pedro Carnitas, a well-known restaurant in Pilsen, ICE agents forced their way through the front doors of the building to detain a worker without a signed judicial warrant. The arrest left restaurant staff and the Pilsen neighborhood on alert.
Borderless intern, Lucy Baptiste, spoke with local organizers, response teams and residents to analyze how communities double down on legal aid and trainings across Chicago to protect noncitizens.
Venezuelans, Haitians in Chicago Confront Deportation: ‘People Are in Shock’
President Donald Trump’s administration has sought to end deportation protections for immigrants with Temporary Protected Status (TPS) throughout the first year of his second term. In May, hundreds of thousands of immigrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela were in limbo after the Supreme Court allowed the administration to roll back TPS protections.
Roy W. Howard investigative reporting fellow, Fatema Hosseini, spoke with community leaders, immigrant advocacy groups, and business owners from these countries to uncover how this could cause lasting damage to their futures in the U.S.
What Rights Do I Have If ICE Stops Me on the Road?
The death of 38-year-old Mexican immigrant Silverio Villegas-Gonzalez during an ICE arrest in Franklin Park left communities on edge and raising questions regarding ICE’s excessive use of force. In the aftermath, community groups have doubled down efforts on what immigrant communities should know about their rights.
Borderless reporter Aydali Campa spoke with immigration attorneys to analyze the legal authorities ICE agents have when conducting vehicle stops and how communities should prepare for interactions with ICE agents.
How Summer Festival Organizers Leaned into Community Resources to Resist ICE
Chicago is renowned for its vibrant summer festival scene and numerous outdoor celebrations. But as the weather began to warm up in May, immigration enforcement actions elevated fears and raised concerns about the impact on cultural gatherings. The annual Michelada Fest was cancelled, and a Cinco de Mayo parade.
As more celebrations approached, Borderless reporter Katrina Pham and photojournalist Camilla Forte sought to document how these celebrations responded to ICE fears. Each organization defined safety differently, with some opting to cancel gatherings altogether, while others leaned into community resources to keep the summer spirit alive.
