UIC Report Estimates $1.2B of Retail, Restaurant Activity Lost During Heightened Immigration Enforcement in Chicago Area
For Chicago's restaurant and retail owners, staying on top of licensing and compliance matters more than ever when foot traffic is down. License Law Group helps hospitality businesses navigate these challenges.
WTTW News reports that a new study from UIC's Great Cities Institute estimates $1.26 billion in lost retail and restaurant activity and $107 million in lost local sales tax revenue in Cook County following heightened federal immigration enforcement. Researchers analyzed foot-traffic data and receipts after January 2025 and found trips to discretionary destinations fell 9%, while trips to essential destinations — grocery stores, pharmacies, gas stations, banks, and healthcare providers — fell nearly 8%, with no offsetting shift outside the county.