About 3,000 Mexicans have signed up to run in Sunday’s Chicago Marathon – setting up a possible showdown with the federales.
The 47th running of the race is expected to draw 53,000 participants and nearly two million spectators, all in a city that has been rocked by violent crime and rabid anti-ICE protests.
A defiant Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson brought up the Mexican competitors at a press conference this week while urging calm.
“I want all of them to come,” Chicago’s Democratic mayor said, calling for them to “demonstrate resistance” by “not bending the knee to tyranny.”
Repeat clashes between protesters and law enforcement over ICE – there were four new arrests Friday at the agency’s Broadview facility – prompted rumors of possible immigration raids on spectators and runners from 140 countries who are participating in the annual race.
Sen. Richard Durbin (D-Ill.) told The Post it has him concerned. “We have all these people coming in for the marathon, and ICE is on the move,” he said.
What they’re going to do during this marathon, I can’t tell.”
The Chicago Parks District weighed in, announcing on Instagram that contrary to proliferating social media posts it didn’t have “any information” on ICE agents showing up at the marathon.
People who commented on the agency’s announcement, however, didn’t seem too convinced. “Are you just keeping this quiet because it was leaked?” wrote one. “Are the spectators going to be safe?!” wrote another.
The race will wind through some of the south side’s crime-filled neighborhoods that prompted Trump’s “hell hole” slam and controversial deployment order to deploy the National Guard, which has drawn a court fight.
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