Are illegal immigrants a big issues in Chicago? (Phoenix, Brooklyn: relocating, insurance)

[MrRudy3]

Hey well once again im back with more questions lol.

Im from Phoenix, Az
and will soon be relocating to Chicago Area.
and well alot of people here seem to make immigration a big over-exaggerated issue. I am mexican-american myself, and rasicm towards my people here bother me. If i move to the chicago area, should i be expecting the same kind of racism or issue with illegal immigrants over there? Or would i be expecting to see the same thing.

[Shrimps]

In a city full of illegal immigrants, the presence of people who will have issues is only natural. I have no idea how it looks in Phoenix, so I can't compare. In the Chicago area, the majority of people I know don't give a damn, some have as you call it 'over-exaggerated' issues', others yet (minority) feel we should welcome illegal immigrants with open arms. But this is MY social circle.

As for racism, check out these topics:
Racism
ok what is this racial tension i'm reading about regarding chicago?
I myself detest racism, but it would be naive to presume everyone else in Chicago shared my values. Have I met racists in Chicago? Yes I have.

[Chinolala]

According to the US Census Bureau, the largest Mexican populations live in California, Arizona, Illinois and Texas. I don't know how many of the Mexicans in Illinois are illegal, but I'm sure some are. The 2000 Census cites 1.1 million Mexicans in the Chicago area in that year. I'm sure that number has increased. As the previous poster said, unfortunately, you will find some racism in Chicago, as you probably will anywhere. On the plus side, this is a city comprised of many immigrants from all over the world with Mexicans being our largest ethnic group. You've probably heard the saying that the US is a "melting pot". I've been to places in the US that it seems that there isn't much diversity. This isn't true for Chicago. There are entire neighborhoods and suburbs that are comprised of a majority of one ethnic group, whereas other areas are more mixed.

[elikhom]

I lived here for 4 years and never heard anyone ranting madly about illegal immigration (besides internet forums), in fact most people I've talked to know very well that it would be almost impossible to replace all the illegal immigrants working in the service industry here in Chicago with American citizens. The most I've heard is people making fun that you can go to any restaurant (Chinese, Americana, Italian, Japanese, etc, etc) and 99% of the time the cooks will be Hispanics.

[At1WithNature]

Yes it is a problem. There have been illegals living and working on my street for over 20 years...however, i never did anything about it other than offer them a smile and friendly wave because they were not here to cause trouble but to work hard and better themselves.

However a lot of illegals can corrupt a state budget (just look at the crisis chicago and illinois is having). Look at California which has a budget defecit of over $20 billion! yes billion. Look at all of the hospitals forced to close every year because illegals don't pay their bills, have insurance, etc. it is a serious problem.

with chicago having all those millions of people, illegals aliens is not really a topic that is at the forefront of most people's minds. I think that would be crime.

[NYrules]

Originally Posted by MrRudy3

Hey well once again im back with more questions lol.

Im from Phoenix, Az
and will soon be relocating to Chicago Area.
and well alot of people here seem to make immigration a big over-exaggerated issue. I am mexican-american myself, and rasicm towards my people here bother me. If i move to the chicago area, should i be expecting the same kind of racism or issue with illegal immigrants over there? Or would i be expecting to see the same thing.

God NO! I could be wrong about this, but my ex was latino and lived in Archer Heights and never was my ex discriminated against other than for a polish woman making a comment in a grocery store once, but she caught her lunch that day! lol! My ex was very capable to put people in their place.

Anyways, latinos are flooding into the Archer Heights neighborhood and the area itself is a very nice area of Chicago, but extremely crowded with TONS of traffic. I will never forget trying to get through the intersection of 47th and Pulaski and then Archer and Pulaski to get over to the ex's place. God was that horrible. I felt like I was back in Brooklyn or something with the amt of traffic. But the area was really nice surrounding it and I never felt threatened or anything (I was safe). So check it out.

[long101]

I really dont see yourself having a problem at all. Having said that I am white so I dont know what it is to be in your shoes. I also live in Pilsen right now which is a part of Chicago which has to be around 90% hispanic. I would put money on it that you would not experience any rasicm

[Chicago60614]

I've noticed a lot more tension between blacks an the other races in this city. People don't really care if you're white or asian or hispanic. I'm white and have never stopped and thought about anyone being hispanic unless they don't speak english and then you kinda have to stop and think about how to communicate with them.

Otherwise I've never seen or heard anyone who wastes their time being racist towards hispanics.

I think in the most accepted national survey, there are around 500,000 illegals in the Chicago area. Of course it's impossible to know. I know when they had the big immigration marches last year about 700,000 came out.

[Attrill]

There are a lot of illegal immigrants in Chicago, but it doesn't seem to be a big issue to the vast majority of Chicagoans. There are a few things about Chicago that make Chicagoans accepting of it:

- Chicago has always been a city of immigrants. Many neighborhoods still retain ethnic identities reminding people of Chicago's history, and also of their own families histories of immigration.
- While Mexican immigrants are certainly the largest group of immigrants right now, there are still large communities of recent immigrants from Poland, Eastern Europe, and to a lesser extent Ireland. This creates a situation where a descendant of Polish immigrants who might be inclined to have a negative view of the illegal Mexican immigrant doing his landscaping also has to face the fact that an illegal Polish immigrant is painting his house. It helps remove a lot of the racial aspect of it that you get in the Southwest. We've got illegals from all over the world here.
- The neighborhood I live in is mostly Mexican immigrants, and maybe a third of the ones on my block are illegal. My experiences with all my neighbors has been very positive, and I think many Chicagoans share that experience.

[MrRudy3]

Well from the looks of it, people seem friendly in Chicago.
I love all people of all race, i have no hate towards another, and Chi seems like a very diverse city =]

Originally Posted by Attrill

There are a lot of illegal immigrants in Chicago, but it doesn't seem to be a big issue to the vast majority of Chicagoans. There are a few things about Chicago that make Chicagoans accepting of it:

- Chicago has always been a city of immigrants. Many neighborhoods still retain ethnic identities reminding people of Chicago's history, and also of their own families histories of immigration.
- While Mexican immigrants are certainly the largest group of immigrants right now, there are still large communities of recent immigrants from Poland, Eastern Europe, and to a lesser extent Ireland. This creates a situation where a descendant of Polish immigrants who might be inclined to have a negative view of the illegal Mexican immigrant doing his landscaping also has to face the fact that an illegal Polish immigrant is painting his house. It helps remove a lot of the racial aspect of it that you get in the Southwest. We've got illegals from all over the world here.
- The neighborhood I live in is mostly Mexican immigrants, and maybe a third of the ones on my block are illegal. My experiences with all my neighbors has been very positive, and I think many Chicagoans share that experience.

I agree with Attrill.
Since theres so many different types of immigrants from all over the world in Chicago, immigrants dont seem to be a problem. Unlike here in Phoenix were most of our immigrants are mexican and only mexican, they focus on that ethnic group to get them out, and make a big issue.