It seems that the massive Border Patrol enforcement blitz sweeping through Chicago isn’t enough to deter street vendors Ofelia Herrera and Rafael Hernandez, who are sticking to their routine despite the chaos. The couple, who are in the United States illegally, refused to alter their work schedule after the Border Patrol executed a raid on a recent Saturday morning in Chicago’s bustling Little Village neighborhood.
You’d think that sirens blaring and Chicago police responding to Border Patrol calls for assistance would be enough to keep people indoors. However, Herrera, 47, waited for the agents to move a few blocks away before she opened their stand, which serves up delicious Mexican-style corn on the cob and refreshing “aguas frescas.” This is what they’ve done for 18 years, and they aren’t stopping now, even though the immigration crackdown known as “Operation Midway Blitz” began back in early September.
