>> The annual Cinco De Mayo Parade is Chicago's Little Village community has been canceled for the second straight year because of concerns over immigration enforcement.

The parade typically draws hundreds of thousands of people to little village and provides a boost to let the local businesses.

Organizers say the decision to forego both the economic benefits in culture, celebration was difficult but necessary for a community that has faced scrutiny from the Trump administration.

Joining us is Hector school president of gusts up.

We have a lot in the Cermak Road Chamber of Commerce.

Thank you, Hector, for joining us now.

Let's talk a little bit about this parade.

These 2 organizations, they put this parade.

Now, what when about making this decision?

I can imagine it was an easy one.

Yeah.

Well, first, thank you for inviting me >> No, was busy as took a while to decide if we keep going and doing festival and parade.

But Chris tense us Sen seen this new immigration enforcement with the New Department with a new head of the department going taken different tactics, tool.

Paco weigh in.

You know, they change.

They have us were was to Pepe Cups input, little flecks makes complex.

Iran, trucks and so to the skies them themselves into the community.

So because that recent we decide not keep going with that or festivities.

So you're saying that you started seeing that ice was using different tactics?

Yes, they're been doing it a matter of fact that.

>> One of are, yes, we're that we're targeting for the best 2 weeks was the border Little village and see so and targeting mostly.

He's been lit up elation and Gilson.

>> Yeah.

So tell me about how the decision come about.

Did you go to different community members?

Were you knocking doors?

How did you decide to we have to cancel?

>> Yeah, you should.

What we do.

We go around neighborhood where the party takes place from Ashland all the way to Marshall in their own we asked them.

What what what did he feel about the parade?

And so will this beautiful.

But the I don't think I want and that I mean, things are not that good.

So week has that thing that asked hundreds very many, many people because thousands boat out of her.

hundreds of thousands definitely.

In the thing, the business, I mean, business community gets harder to because they prepared.

Does that first event of the summer they that we have to tell them that that's not to some And I did want to talk about that because of businesses are going to be impacted.

You're talking about restaurants, stores.

>> People who want go out to the streets and sell their items.

So this is going to them hard.

The SDA that they did hit last year right times of the pandemic.

The Get the U.S.

trying recuperate from the pandemic.

>> Then immigration that started last year.

Now again, look changed different Department Homeland Security.

But the tactics, rest of races, people still there.

So we just have to very careful to say that the scale is a bit different of how they're targeting people.

They're not as you can't see them throughout the neighborhood as much.

Yes, you know that I could their load.

They were saying that like a coke with droughts, you know, with ice out and >> they hunted.

They're hunting Yeah.

And what was the feedback from people when you told them we're canceling those are people that were disappointed?

Yeah, very much there said.

people who could upend the said, well, you know, we cool Sussex portion of of having to can So I mean, what we said was very safety, people, people safe then sorry, that's the reality.

What did you love about putting this event together?

Well, actually takes a lot fix a lot of people to do it.

Then we 6, 7 months in advance to get to sponsors too, to see who is going to participate.

People from countries like Mexico.

formula.

There right to come and I know they're different presentations in the parade.

But, you know, at this point we had to play safe.

No Cinco de Mayo is a huge holiday for for Mexicans, especially for those who don't know.

>> Remind us a little bit about why we celebrate Cinco de Mayo.

>> Well, it was the war actually friends tried to take over Mexico because tried make some money from the Mexican government.

So and with that situation day, so they cannot pay.

So we're gonna do with taken to take over the country so they send floats through Veracruz, Mexico, but they were stopped in Florida.

My home and you know, because that thing all the voice will be in a French now and that from Mexico into United we stopped them.

right that point, the story is so interesting.

I know we were talking about that.

>> You know, Chicago is known to almost 70% of the population is Mexican living here in Chicago.

And we know the parade has been going on.

You mentioned since the 70's, yes.

How important was it at that time when parade for started?

>> Well, you season we had so many cultural, a par some of that by a single them IU September 16.

But single them it was more we trained to do in diversity fight about September's Heastie making sure what was the difference September in May in one of the things, some and some points what they were trained to the commercial.

So we're just trying to cultural just focus in cup and the community in care of our old That might mean that have real and judgment without something where one can come together is is is it a bit Saturday disappointing for you, too.

>> To know that you you can't have this event.

This parade.

Well, of course, I mean, not only that it you can that have many events?

I mean, this is more than 1000 people that it is a lot with 200,000 people.

That's that's the money can imagine is frustrating.

Yes, very much so.

But you know what?

most important take care of people then making money and Alyssa's.

That's that's a good reason.

I know this is far away.

But are you hoping the maybe next year you'll take another look and hopefully can bring it back?

Well, we things are different next year.

So we'll be glad needed no matter what we want to plan didn't see.

Hopefully the think you have thank you for joining us and thank you very much.

Back with more in a moment.

So don't go away.

>> Reflecting the people