Anabel Mendoza

Anabel Mendoza is a lifelong Chicagoan, immigrant rights organizer, and progressive Democrat running for Congress in Illinois’ 7th District. Raised in West Lawn in a proud working-class Latino immigrant family, Anabel’s life and political vision have been shaped by the communities that raised her and the people she continues to organize alongside. Growing up in a neighborhood of hardworking immigrant families, she saw both the resilience of her community and the barriers they faced in housing, employment, and the immigration system.

Her journey—from investigative journalist to national immigrant rights advocate to congressional candidate—reflects a deep commitment to expanding opportunity and dignity for people too often excluded from political power. In the fight for immigrant rights, Anabel helped lead efforts that blocked more than $15 billion in proposed federal funding for ICE and CBP and has been
on the front lines defending DACA. She has worked alongside Black and brown families impacted by detention and deportation and believes Congress must end the criminalization of immigrant communities, abolish ICE, and invest in health care, housing, education, and good union jobs.

A graduate of Northwestern University, Anabel brings a commitment to truth and accountability to public life. Refusing money from AIPAC and special interests, she is running a grassroots campaign to bring integrity, unity, and bold leadership to Washington.