Milwaukee group celebrates Mexican Independence Day; parade canceled

Group celebrates Mexican Independence Day

Milwaukee?s Mexican Independence Day parade was canceled out of fears of immigration raids. A group of people chose to celebrate on their own.

MILWAUKEE - While Milwaukee’s Mexican Independence Day parade was canceled out of fears of immigration raids, a group of people chose to celebrate on their own Saturday.

Mitchell Park celebration

Local perspective:

Chants, posters and Mexican flags waved in the wind at Mitchell Park.

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"We are standing here. We are fighting for our community," said Julie Velazquez with the Milwaukee Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression.

Mexican Independence Day celebration at Mitchell Park

A Milwaukee staple for 50 years, UMOS called off the Mexican Independence Day Parade. The tradition usually draws huge crowds, but things look different this weekend.

"We can't hide in the shadows, we can't disappear ourselves in the community," said Tania Chavez. "It's not the same, and it's totally understandable, but we're here for the people who can be here today."

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Chavez said her mother self-deported to Mexico three months ago as the immigration debate took center stage.

"Unfortunately, we were directly affected by this administration because of fear," she said. "I miss my mom every single day, you know? It's kind of – I still don't believe it's real."

Tania Chavez and her mother

Supreme Court ruling

Big picture view:

Marc Christopher, an immigration attorney, said the recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling adds to the heavy energy he has seen among immigrant communities. The court ruled U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers can use race as grounds for immigration stops.

"There has always been concerns about racial profiling, that police and law enforcement will use a certain segment of the population, and that's been disputed back-and-forth," he said. "This is the first time, at least in my career as an attorney, where I have seen the Supreme Court willingly allow someone to use race and the way they speak to potentially someone again."

FOX6 News reached out to ICE and U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson’s office for comment about fears around Mexican Independence Day celebrations but did not hear back by the deadline for this story.