Fear Of Feds Looms Over Persian New Year Celebration In Chicago
(CBS) -- Saturday marks the celebration of the Persian New Year in Chicago, but the founder of the annual parade said the U.S. political climate has made some people too scared to go.
It is called Nowruz, meaning "new day," marking the beginning of spring for Iranians and many others. WBBM's Steve Miller reports.
It takes money and contributions to put on any parade, including the Nowruz parade, marking the Persian New Year.
Amir Normandi organized the first Chicago Nowruz parade in 2010.
But this year?
"This year we had a dramatic decrease," Normandi said. "The amount of contributions dramatically dropped and we are about 15-16 percent of the last two years."
Normandi said many people in the parade, Iranians and Afghans, don't feel safe.
"I had many people directly tell me that," Normandi said. "Is it advisable for us to come to the Federal Plaza and be grabbed by immigration people...That they think that the immigration or the ICE agents would come and pack them up and deport them. This is their fear."
He said he has tried to assuage people's fears, but he said it's possible some people may be visa over-stayers.
"Some people advise us not to even have the parade and the festival in the Federal Plaza," Normandi said.
But he said it is his right as an American citizen to celebrate his heritage.
"There is beauty in diversity," Normandi said.
WBBM has reached out to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for comment. Their response is in the statement below:
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) does not conduct random sweeps, checkpoints or raids that target aliens indiscriminately. ICE focuses its immigration enforcement resources on individuals who pose a threat to national security, public safety and border security. ICE conducts targeted immigration enforcement in compliance with federal law and agency policy. However, as Secretary Kelly has made clear, with very limited exceptions, ICE will no longer exempt classes or categories of removable aliens from potential enforcement. Any alien encountered during the course of targeted enforcement actions is subject to removal. We must and we will enforce the law in accordance with our enforcement priorities.
Reports of ICE checkpoints and sweeps are false, dangerous and irresponsible. These reports create panic and put communities and law enforcement personnel in unnecessary danger. Any groups falsely reporting such activities are doing a disservice to those they claim to support.