Faith leaders rally support for Little Village as immigration enforcement fears continue

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Greg Bovino and his Border Patrol agents have moved on to a different city, but faith leaders gathered Friday to remind people immigration enforcement is far from over.

They said Chicagoans must continue to support neighborhoods like Little Village.

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At the gathering, a Muslim faith leader played a drum to a Jewish Rabbi's song about peace. They were joined by Catholics, Evangelicals, Protestants and First Nations people.

Chicago's "Faith over Fear" movement has put religious differences aside to support people like Ana Christina Bravo and her 2-year-old daughter. Their family was torn apart when U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detained Bravo's husband in October.

"We worked as a team," Bravo said. "There are the three of us here, I worked at night and he worked during the day, and that way we can each take care of our daughter. So I don't know why they said to separate us as a family."

Speaking through an interpreter, Bravo says her husband was in the country legally without a criminal record or deportation orders. He remains in a Kentucky ICE Detention Center

"I've also had to lose my job, because I don't have anyone to watch my daughter, and on top of that, because I have an ankle bracelet," Bravo said.

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While Border Patrol agents appear to no longer be in Chicago, religious leaders reminded residents ICE has not left.

"We're coming together, saying, this isn't a time to just lay low and do nothing, but how do we prepare for the next wave coming," said Matt DeMateo, New Life Centers CEO.

DeMateo is a Little Village resident. He says since Border Patrol left, church attendance and business are starting to bounce back a bit, but people remain scared.

The winter weather and real ice haven't helped. Las Comales owner Christina Gonzales says sales always drop with the first snow. While it's been tough, Gonzales says if there is a silver lining, the spotlight on Little Village has brought Chicagoans in from different neighborhoods.

"My servers are also saying, wow, I don't see my regulars, which we're kind of, we know that, but they're seeing so many new faces and so many new demographics that we're so blessed and happy that we do have this support that is, is, is coming from all all levels of the community," Gonzales said.

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The Faith over Fear movement continues to grow. The first Friday of every month is called Faithful Fridays. Next month, religious leaders will come together on the South Side.