Karina Villa had worked in Illinois politics since 2020, focusing on ensuring workplace protections, mental health coverage, and fairer housing costs for the residents of the 25th district, gaining little national attention. Serving the community was her focus on September 16, 2025, when she confronted ICE agents and warned the town’s residents to stay inside. This filmed incident went viral, sparking both admiration and danger.
Before the video
Villa was born and raised in the same West Chicago district she now represents, and worked as a school social worker before joining the political field. She was the first Latina representative in her district when she was elected in 2020 and flipped a Republican district. She’s sponsored a range of legislation in her current term, including the Rental Fee Transparency and Fairness Act and the Equality for Every Family Act. In August, she announced her run for comptroller.
The Video
As ICE agents flooded through the streets of Chicago, Villa sprang into action. She’s seen running through the neighborhood, calling for people to stay in their homes and directly confronting the agents, saying, “This is my city.” In an interview with NBC Chicago, she recalls getting into the car of a friend to follow them.
The video went viral once posted to social media, and was picked up by news outlets, with the phrase “This is my city” now known far and wide.
What can we learn?
Virality is not a thing that can be controlled. Karina Villa was acting to protect her home and her constituents, with no thought to the internet or national attention. People, both in politics and out, try all the time to make their message take off with little success. This video got global attention because it spoke to a current problem in a real way.
Virality is neutral. While this video drew significant attention, a viral moment like this was not key to her past or current success. It helped draw attention to ICE abuses and how to deal with them, but this one incident is only a tiny part of her success.
Virality is brief. In theory, anyone these days can end up with thousands of eyes on them, but due to the fast-paced nature of current events and algorithms, “15 minutes of fame” might as well be literal, no matter how impressive, shocking, or perfectly timed you were.
If just going viral isn’t worth much, what should I do?
Virality alone isn’t a solid plan to get your message out there. You need a strong message and a consistent image, things Villa had for a long time with dedication to her community. Rather than chasing your 15 minutes, work to consistently build a connection with your audience. It’s a marathon, not a sprint.
What do you think this says about virality? Sound off below!
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