A powerful piece of street art recently appeared in Chicago, capturing the tension and urgency of today’s immigration climate. Painted boldly on a wall, the mural shows Superman—a symbol of justice and the American ideal—punching an ICE officer labeled “POLICE ICE.”

The caption above reads, “Meanwhile in Chicago…,” setting the scene as both a specific local event and a national moment. Signed by the artist “The Mouse” and “Viril,” this mural isn’t just graffiti—it’s protest, commentary, and cultural critique rolled into one.

The timing of the mural is no accident. In 2025, ICE raids and immigration enforcement have surged again, particularly in cities with large immigrant populations like Chicago. Filipino immigrants—both documented and undocumented—are among those directly affected. And while immigration policy debates often dominate headlines, what’s missing from those discussions is historical context. Why are so many Filipinos, Latinos, and other immigrant groups in the U.S. to begin with? To answer that, we have to rewind the clock—to colonialism, imperialism, and the myth of the American dream.

From Colony to Diaspora: The Filipino-American Story

The Philippines was a colony of Spain for over 300 years before the U.S. took control in 1898 following the Spanish-American War. The so-called Philippine-American War that followed was brutal—hundreds of thousands of Filipinos died resisting U.S. rule. Though it’s rarely taught in American classrooms, the Philippines was America’s first major overseas colony. English was imposed, U.S. culture became dominant, and generations of Filipinos were raised with American textbooks, American dreams, and American contradictions.

When the Philippines finally gained independence on July 4, 1946, the irony of the date was not lost. While Americans celebrated their own freedom on the Fourth of July, the Philippines was at last released from the grip of U.S. colonial rule. Yet, economic instability and political corruption—much of it a legacy of colonial governance—drove waves of migration. Filipinos came to the U.S. in search of opportunity, safety, and futures for their children. Sound familiar? It’s the same hope that brought the Mayflower pilgrims in 1620. The same hope that drives all immigrants, regardless of their papers.

Superman vs. ICE: A Modern-Day Parable

In the mural, Superman is clearly siding with the immigrant—literally striking down an ICE officer. The symbolism is clear. Superman, an immigrant himself from the planet Krypton, is standing against a system that punishes those who simply want to survive and thrive. For Filipino families in Chicago’s Northside, in suburbs like Skokie, or in historical enclaves like the South Loop, that message hits hard.

Many Filipino immigrants work essential jobs—in healthcare, elder care, education, logistics. They pay taxes, build communities, and raise children who pledge allegiance to the flag at school every morning. Yet even now, in 2025, they live with the constant threat of detention or deportation, often for minor infractions or simply overstaying a visa. This mural says what many feel but can’t say: the real crime is a broken system, not broken papers.

What Makes an American?

America has always been a nation of immigrants. The Mayflower didn’t carry citizens—it carried dreamers. Those who stepped ashore in 1620 were undocumented by modern standards. And yet, their descendants wrote the rules that now criminalize the same journey they once made.

This street art isn’t just provocative—it’s patriotic in the truest sense. It demands we ask: Who gets to be American? Who gets protected by Superman, and who gets punched by the system? If justice means anything, it must mean more than enforcement—it must mean empathy, equity, and acknowledgment of history.

The mural on that wall in Chicago is more than paint. It’s protest. It’s storytelling. It’s a reminder that, like Superman, the immigrant struggle is one of strength, resilience, and the eternal fight for truth and justice.

Tags: #ChicagoStreetArt #FilAmVoices #ImmigrantRights #Superman #StopICE #ColonialHistory #FilipinoDiaspora #PinoyChicago #FilAmHeritage #StreetArtPolitics #MeanwhileInChicago #July4Independence #FourthOfJuly