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Chicago Teachers Union Faces Backlash After Target Protest Against Immigration Enforcement
Members of the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) have drawn widespread criticism following their protest at a local Target store, where they demonstrated against federal immigration enforcement and recent reductions in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.
Video footage posted by the union on Tuesday shows members entering a Chicago-area Target, carrying anti-Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) signs and confronting employees. The protesters demanded to know whether Target would “protect” its employees from ICE operations.
“As a private business, Target has a choice,” the union wrote in its social media post. “They can use their Fourth Amendment rights and post signs that demand ICE show warrants to enter their building. Instead, they’ve allowed harm to their employees and customers, while continuing to roll back DEI commitments and bow to pressure from the Trump administration.”
The demonstration has sparked immediate backlash online and from education advocacy groups. The Teacher Freedom Alliance responded on social media platform X: “The CTU can’t help itself — they feel compelled to weigh in on every political issue. And they bankroll these so-called ‘protests’ with your tax dollars.”
Education experts have questioned the union’s priorities amid ongoing academic challenges in Chicago schools. Erika Donalds, chair of education opportunity at the America First Policy Institute, told Fox News Digital that the protest “tells you everything about the goals of today’s teachers unions.”
“They’re harassing retailers and pushing radical politics instead of doing the job they’re paid to do: advocate for the best education for our nation’s children,” Donalds said. “While kids are falling behind in reading and math, union leaders are staging protests over immigration enforcement.”
Nicole Neily, founder and president of Defending Education, offered similar criticism. “Union thugs bullying hourly employees in Target stores isn’t brave or just — it’s naked intimidation of people who are simply trying to earn a paycheck,” she said. Neily pointed to concerning academic statistics, noting that “two-thirds of Chicago Public Schools students can’t read at grade level, and 4 out of 5 children can’t do math at grade level.”
This protest comes amid growing scrutiny of the CTU’s political activities. Earlier this month, even the Washington Post criticized the union in an editorial response to the CTU’s New Year’s resolutions posted on social media. The union had committed to “defending Black and brown and immigrant communities who are targeted by federal agents” and “fighting back against an administration trying to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education and roll back civil rights protections.”
The Post editorial board responded pointedly: “Those are lofty goals in a school district that can hardly teach kids to read and write,” noting that in 2025, only 43 percent of Chicago’s third through eighth grade students were reading at grade level.
The Target protest represents the latest chapter in the CTU’s increasingly visible political activism beyond traditional education advocacy. The union has expanded its focus to include immigration policy, social justice initiatives, and opposition to certain federal administration policies, drawing both support from progressive allies and criticism from those who believe the union should focus more narrowly on educational outcomes and teacher working conditions.
Chicago’s education system continues to face significant challenges, with academic performance metrics showing substantial room for improvement. Critics argue that the union’s broad political activism diverts attention and resources from addressing these core educational concerns.
The CTU has not responded to requests for comment regarding the Target protest or the subsequent criticism.
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9 Comments
While the Chicago Teachers Union has a right to protest, disrupting a private business like Target seems counterproductive. Focusing on declining test scores and how to improve student outcomes would be a better use of their time and energy.
Agreed. Politicizing a retail store and harassing employees is unlikely to win public support for the union’s cause, whatever that may be.
Declining test scores are certainly a serious issue that deserves attention. However, this protest seems misguided and unlikely to produce positive outcomes for students and teachers. The union should refocus its efforts on concrete education reforms.
Agreed. The union’s energy would be better spent advocating for policies and programs that directly address the root causes of declining academic performance in Chicago schools.
It’s concerning to hear about declining test scores in Chicago schools. The union should focus its efforts on working with educators, parents, and local officials to develop evidence-based strategies for improving student outcomes. Protests at private businesses are unlikely to achieve that goal.
While the union may have valid concerns, disrupting a private business is not the appropriate way to address them. This type of protest is more likely to generate negative publicity than constructive dialogue and solutions.
Exactly. The union should seek to build bridges with the community and policymakers, not burn them down through confrontational tactics that could undermine their credibility.
I’m curious to learn more about the specifics of the CTU’s concerns regarding Target’s policies and DEI initiatives. Constructive dialogue and fact-based analysis would be a more effective approach than confrontational protests.
Valid point. The union should provide clear evidence and rationale to substantiate their claims before resorting to disruptive tactics that may alienate the public.