‘This is not a time to celebrate’: Trump’s ICE is canceling summer as raids terrorize Latino communities

Seven months into President Trump’s second term, a frightening sense of fear has spread through Latino communities across the United States. This has caused many beloved summer cultural events to be canceled or postponed.

This fear comes directly from the increased operations of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which is now aiming for an unprecedented 3,000 arrests per day. This aggressive enforcement is not just targeting people without legal status; it has also expanded to include residents with legal protections and even American citizens, all of whom are being swept into a deportation system that often ignores proper legal procedures.

The widespread fear of being randomly targeted in these raids has led to a wave of event cancellations, affecting everything from lively community festivals and neighborhood block parties to religious ceremonies. According to The Guardian, the choice to cancel these events is deeply disappointing for both organizers and attendees.

Trump’s ICE goons are making it unsafe to be outside

In Kansas City, a Colombian Independence Day festival, which had been held every year for decades, was canceled for the first time. Orlando Gutierrez, an organizer, had to put the safety of attendees first, knowing the real danger they faced. This festival, which usually drew thousands of Colombians and non-Colombians alike, was an important place for cultural exchange, and its absence is a major loss.

Guitierrez said the decision was based on “trying to be safe. We’re not talking about folks that are irregular in terms of their immigration status. You only have to look a certain way and speak a certain language and then you’re in danger… Our mission is to share our culture with people that don’t know it. To not have the opportunity – that’s where it hurts the most.”

Similarly, in Philadelphia, the Carnaval de Puebla, originally planned for April, was called off in February. Organizers said this was not a time for celebration but instead a time to stay united, informed, and strong. On the West Coast, in Los Angeles, the Festival Chapín, a major Guatemalan cultural event that attracts more than 50,000 people each year, was postponed from August to October. Organizers hoped that waiting a few months might lead to a better political situation, one where ICE would focus mainly on people with criminal records, as they had claimed.

Another organizer Olga Rentería said, “We believe this is not a time to celebrate, but a time to remain united, informed, and strong.” ICE’s growing power and funding come directly from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. This law, pushed through Congress by Republicans and signed by the president on the Fourth of July, slashes funding for social programs while giving ICE a budget nearly as large as the US Army’s. This huge increase in money means mass raids are likely to get worse.

The situation has become so serious that even well-known public figures, including famous musicians, are changing their plans. For example, Puerto Rican superstar Bad Bunny announced a tour that skips the continental United States entirely. While the artist said more US shows were “unnecessary” after his previous tours, many on social media believe he is trying to protect his fans from possible ICE encounters. Bad Bunny has been vocal about politics before, criticizing ICE agents and praising immigrant communities in his music.