A University of Illinois Chicago study found that heightened federal immigration enforcement starting in January 2025 caused residents of immigrant-heavy Cook County neighborhoods to sharply reduce trips to stores and restaurants elsewhere in the county. Cross-community retail visits fell about 9 percent and restaurant visits about 10 percent, a decline that began within weeks and persisted for nearly a year. Researchers estimate the lost economic activity totaled roughly $1.26 billion and cost the county about $107 million in lost sales-tax revenue.