Whizz co-founder says Trump’s Chicago crackdown is scaring delivery workers off the streets

The article highlights the impact of President Donald Trump’s intensified immigration enforcement in Chicago on food delivery workers, particularly those using e-bikes rented from Whizz, an e-bike subscription service co-founded by Mike Peregudov. Viral footage showing federal agents chasing a delivery worker underscores the heightened fear among gig economy workers amid raids by Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and National Guard deployments. This climate of fear has directly affected Whizz’s business, causing its Chicago fleet growth to stall and resulting in an 8% loss in business since August, when National Guard troops were sent to the city. Peregudov explained that both documented and undocumented workers are scared of being detained during raids, even if they are legally present, due to the risk of losing work time while proving their status. While similar immigration enforcement occurs in other cities where Whizz operates—such as New York, San Francisco, and Philadelphia—Chicago’s militarized approach has been particularly disruptive.