Fear of Little Village immigration crackdown threatens local quinceañera celebrations
Nov. 10, 2025

Dayanara Gonzalez has been planning her quinceañera since she was nine years old. Excited for the traditional celebration of her 15th birthday that will mark her transition into womanhood, she has spent the past year picking out her dress and tiara, practicing her dances and selecting friends and family for her Court of Honor.

 

Now, with the quinceañera scheduled for less than two weeks, 25 people have informed Gonzalez’s family that they can no longer attend, predominantly due to fear of the celebration attracting federal immigration agents. Gonzalez’s mother, Natalie Costilla, said she suspects the number of no-shows will be even higher.

 

“It’s stressful because we’re paying for people to be there who aren’t going to be there, because we have to, but she still deserves to have her day,” Costilla said.

 

In the wake of increasingly frequent and violent immigration raids in Little Village, local quinceañeras are taking a hit as budgets tighten, guest lists dwindle, and Latino families become increasingly reluctant to visit the neighborhood’s plethora of quinceañera boutiques to pick out a dress. In spite of being a predominantly Mexican-American area and a historical hub of cultural pride, Little Village is witnessing a decline in the celebration of this ordinarily extravagant coming-of-age ceremony that marks one of Latin America’s most enduring traditions.

 

Ariella Sontoyo, founder and owner of Little Village quinceañera boutique My Quince World, said her business started as a general women’s clothing store in 2008, but she soon pivoted to specialize in quinceañera essentials to meet the rising demand created by the growth of the local Latino community. This year, however, that demand has taken a dive.

 

According to Sontoyo, her business had declined about 40% by the summer, and is now reaching a decline of 60% following the Department of Homeland Security’s ongoing Operation Midway Blitz immigration crackdown in Chicago. 

 

Sontoyo said there has also been a sharp decrease in foot traffic as customers have been afraid to come into the neighborhood, often calling ahead to ask whether there has been any immigration activity that day. She said many of her customers have also called to say they are indefinitely postponing their quinceañeras altogether, citing concerns about guests being racially profiled and targeted by immigration agents regardless of citizenship status.

 

“Let’s say I go to this [quinceañera], I’m not even going to feel comfortable being there,” said Sontoyo, a Little Village local and part of the Latino community herself. “It’s why people don’t go out to restaurants and don’t go out anywhere anymore…they’re staying at home. It’s the fear of, like, ‘who’s going to walk in through that door?’”

 

Evelyn Flores, owner of Little Village quinceañera store Alborada Quince, said she has seen the impact of local immigration activity particularly through the financial strain it is putting on both her and her customers. According to Flores, several customers have told her they are sharply tightening their dress budgets in anticipation of getting less monetary support from their friends and family – which is customarily a norm for quinceañera celebrations – and even saving up for the event of being arrested or deported.

 

This has put Alborada in a precarious position. According to Flores, her business is currently “putting out COVID numbers” and “surviving check by check,” locking both her and her customers in a lose-lose situation.

 

“We're forced to compromise, because it's either we sell things at a discounted price or we don't make anything because they can't afford the prices that we give them,” Flores said.

 

Costilla, who bought her daughter’s quinceañera dress and tiara at Alborada, is one such customer who has been feeling a monetary strain, stating that she estimates a loss of a few thousand dollars after factoring in the shrinking guest list alone. Nevertheless, Costilla said she is determined to give her daughter her quinceañera.

 

“It’s a tradition in Hispanic culture. It has a beautiful meaning,” Costilla said. “It’s not her fault what’s going on in the world, so I think she still needs to be celebrated.”