John Barleycorn

Chicago Restaurants Brace For Trump Immigration Raids as Misinformation Flourishes | Eater Chicago

"A mini-chain of bars that was popular in the 1990s with locations near Wrigley Field and in Lincoln Park has since closed, but its former owner remains a prominent, veteran restaurateur and former chairman of the Illinois Restaurant Association who warns of major consequences for the hospitality sector. He argues the restaurant industry 'will collapse without undocumented workers' and foresees Hispanic restaurant workers — regardless of legal status — 'stay[ing] home because they don't want to be harassed.' He has been active on immigration policy, meeting with federal officials, lobbying for measures like the Dignity Act (introduced in 2023), and pressing for bipartisan compromises; he says, 'I voted for Trump because I needed a seat,' and adds, 'I did put a target on my back.'" - Ashok Selvam