Cook County lost $1.26 billion due to immigration enforcement

A study by the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) Great Cities Institute reveals that the ‘Midway Blitz’ immigration operation led to approximately $1.26 billion in lost commercial activity in Cook County. The report, titled ‘Hunkering Down: The Hidden Economic Cost of Federal Immigration Enforcement in Cook County, IL’, indicates that the crackdown initiated by the Donald Trump administration on September 8, 2025, caused Latino communities to reduce spending and stay home due to fear.

The economic impact extended beyond traditionally Mexican neighborhoods like Pilsen and La Villita, affecting retail and restaurant businesses throughout the county. Additionally, the study estimates a loss of roughly $107 million in local tax revenue.

José Miguel Acosta Córdova, an associate researcher at UIC, noted that the disruption of normal movement and economic activity by Latino residents—who serve as workers, consumers, and business owners—has significant consequences for the broader regional economy.