A bustling shopping district in Chicago known as the “Mexico of the Midwest” has seen foot traffic plummet by 50% — as residents say they fear the immigration raids promised by President

Chicago’s Little Village neighborhood, home to a large population of Latin American immigrants, has reportedly gone quiet, as the city waits to see whether it becomes the first target of Donald Trump’s plan to carry out mass deportations immediately upon taking office.

U.S. President Donald Trump wasted no time getting to work after his inauguration, with his administration launching a large-scale immigration raid, starting in Chicago. Tom Homan, head of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE),

Fears over possible ICE raids have heightened across the U.S., causing one of Chicago’s largest Mexican-American communities to turn into a ghost town. (Fox 32 Chicago)

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson says the city will defend residents "whether you're undocumented, whether you are seeking asylum or whether you're seeking a good paying job."

Activists monitoring for immigration arrests said they had seen no activity, but the threat of deportations continues and the local community should remain alert.