Patricia Gamboa was six years old when she and her family crossed the border from Tijuana into California in the mid-1980s, guided by a smuggler who warned them to hide if federal agents appeared. She remembers falling asleep in a ditch while evading immigration officials. Now 49 and a resident of Oak Brook, Gamboa saw those childhood fears resurface last October when videos circulated of immigrant men running from federal agents during Operation Midway Blitz, President Trump's aggressive deportation campaign. The experience moved her to act.
Gamboa began delivering food and supplies to immigrant families afraid to leave their homes, using social media to connect with those in need. At the height of the enforcement campaign, she was making deliveries to 40 to 50 homes daily, sometimes working into the early morning hours. The demand was so substantial that she formalized her efforts into a nonprofit organization. Mano a Mano Unidos received its 501(c)(3) status in December and is now headquartered in her office in suburban Berwyn. The organization, which operates separately from a similarly named Round Lake-based nonprofit, has grown to about 40 volunteers and has assisted more than 800 families since October, with regular deliveries continuing to over 100 households.
During Operation Midway Blitz, federal immigration agents flooded neighborhoods across Chicago's South and Southwest sides and surrounding suburbs, stopping people of color and conducting raids. The enforcement campaign left hundreds of families confined to their homes, afraid to work or send their children to school. Gamboa approached her work methodically, keeping limited records of deliveries to protect identities and allowing families to dictate the terms of contact. "Families started letting other families know they could trust me," she said.
Rolando Soto, a handyman and taco vendor from Cicero, remained home for four months, his family's income halted and his daughter forced into virtual learning. After discovering Gamboa's social media posts, he reached out for help. She responded the same day, delivering food to his household. Soto described her assistance as driven purely by compassion, and he has since volunteered with the organization to give back.
Gamboa's mission has extended beyond the initial deportation campaign. She traveled to Minneapolis during Operation Metro Surge, a separate federal enforcement action that resulted in arrests and the deaths of two U.S. citizens at the hands of federal officers. She made the six-plus-hour journey three times, delivering supplies to communities with minimal prior connections.
Though immigration enforcement has appeared to slow in the Chicago area, need remains high. Many families are recovering from months without income and facing debt from legal fees. Gamboa has also begun assisting single mothers and seniors affected by changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. State officials warned earlier this year that approximately 400,000 Illinois residents could lose SNAP benefits by May 1 under new work requirements, part of President Trump's tax and spending plan approved by Congress. Gamboa said she hopes to expand Mano a Mano Unidos to other cities and continue supporting vulnerable populations in her community.
