Study Finds 2025 ICE Crackdown Cost Chicago-Area Businesses More Than $1.26 Billion

A University of Illinois Chicago study used anonymous cellphone GPS data to track movement between immigrant and non-immigrant neighborhoods in Cook County and found that routine travel between them collapsed almost immediately after January 20, 2025, amid fear of ICE raids. The report estimates that reduced consumer mobility cost retail shops and restaurants in non-immigrant neighborhoods roughly $1.26 billion and cost Illinois an estimated $107 million in lost tax revenue. Co-author Matt Wilson told NPR researchers measured a 9% drop in retail visits and a 10% drop in restaurant visits that persisted for about a year. White House spokesperson Lauren Bis said removing “these criminals from the streets makes communities safer for business owners and customers.”