CHICAGO (WLS) — Federal immigration brokers swarmed downtown Chicago on Sunday afternoon, detaining a number of folks.
A type of incidents was caught on digital camera close to Millennium Park, the place Border Patrol brokers appeared to detain a household, together with a girl and a number of kids.
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Brokers appeared to detain one other man in River North exterior of Catholic Charities, close to LaSalle and Clark.
These had been a part of Sunday’s many sightings of Border Patrol brokers, who had been seen patrolling on foot and by boat alongside the Chicago River.
“It is lots of locations that may use some armor and a few assist, and I am fairly positive strolling down the road of Michigan Avenue just isn’t the place for that sort of armor,” mentioned Robina Muhammed.
Lawmakers and group leaders held a press convention on Sunday afternoon to talk out in regards to the federal escalation.
“They confirmed up downtown to indiscriminately proceed to profile towards folks simply due to what they appear to be,” mentioned Democratic Rep. Jesus “Chuy” Garcia.
“How dare you. That is our metropolis. That is our state. That is our nation. That is our residence,” mentioned Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights Deputy Director Veronica Castro.
The group vowed to mobilize and shield towards what they name worry and intimidation techniques.
“We have no different selection however to proceed to prepare, to proceed to face collectively and proceed to battle to guard our communities,” mentioned Resurrection Mission Director of Organizing Tovia Siegel.
However the Trump administration is making its personal vow. The Division of Homeland Safety posted to social media, saying, partially, “DHS below @Sec_Noem, will NOT again down. We won’t relaxation till each violent terrorist, thug is arrested… @POTUS Trump and @Sec_Noem will return LAW AND ORDER to our streets.”
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson posted on X, saying, “That is one other brazen provocation from the Trump administration that does nothing to make our metropolis safer.”
Johnson additionally issued a press release, saying, “There are stories of federal brokers in downtown Chicago carrying weapons and sporting masks. On a Sunday afternoon, when individuals are out having fun with the climate and procuring, the Division of Homeland Safety is militarizing our metropolis. This isn’t about security. It is meant to intimidate and stoke worry. This additionally coincides with ICE brokers sparking panic and creating chaos whereas persevering with to tear gasoline and pepper spray people who find themselves exercising their First Modification rights on the Broadview facility. Keep alert, and keep protected, Cook dinner County. Bear in mind to Know Your Rights.”
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker issued a press release on the enforcement, saying, “The Trump Administration’s DHS officers look like carrying massive weapons round downtown Chicago in camouflage and masks. This isn’t making anyone safer – it is a present of intimidation, instilling worry in our communities and hurting our companies. We can’t normalize militarizing American cities and suburbs. Be sure to know your rights and keep alert.”
Broadview police investigating alleged assault on reporter close to ICE facility
Broadview police say they’ve launched a felony investigation into what they describe as “an allegedly unprovoked assault” on a journalist close to an ICE facility.
In the meantime, Broadview police say they’ve launched a felony investigation into what they describe as “an allegedly unprovoked assault” on a journalist close to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility there.
They are saying a chemical munition was fired from the path of the power on a CBS TV information reporter’s car. The reporter declined medical consideration.
Broadview police say they count on full cooperation from DHS.
“The Village of Broadview Police Division has launched a felony investigation into an allegedly unprovoked assault on a CBS Chicago TV information reporter’s car by a chemical munition fired from the path of U.S. Immigration Customs and Enforcement detention facility. The sufferer declined medical consideration. The Broadview Police Division expects the complete cooperation by the U.S. Division of Homeland Safety into our felony investigation,” Broadview Police Chief Thomas Mills mentioned in a press release.
Demonstrators return to Broadview ICE facility after Saturday evening’s escalation
Protests exterior the Broadview ICE facility have been occurring for a number of days, and demonstrators continued to make their voices heard on Sunday evening.
It was a a lot calmer ambiance all through Sunday after the escalation ABC7 crews witnessed there on Saturday evening.
Seaside Road has been reopened, permitting protesters to be proper up towards the power’s fence once more, and there have been a lot fewer federal brokers current exterior in comparison with Saturday.
Protest organizers rebuilt a tent and moved it additional away from the power after federal brokers tore down their belongings on Saturday evening whereas deploying tear gasoline to disperse the group.
They’d been taking in donations to assist households impacted by ICE operations, however a lot of that was ruined throughout the escalation.
“To see every thing go to waste, that is folks’s hard-earned cash which might be prepared to assist us out in any approach, and it simply went to waste,” mentioned a protester named Maria.
The presence of Border Patrol and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives brokers has dwindled in comparison with what was seen in Broadview on Saturday.
Protesters say they are going to proceed to indicate up because the Trump administration targets the Chicagoland space in federal operations.
“I do not assume it is gonna cease. The extra they push, we’re gonna push, and you already know, we wish to make this as peaceable as doable, however they don’t seem to be making it peaceable,” Maria mentioned.
As protesters attempt to get their message throughout, family members of people that have been detained by ICE are additionally exhibiting as much as the power in Broadview.
Natalie Mirenda stood with the group on Sunday evening after watching her father get detained in Downers Grove earlier within the day.
“I noticed a bunch of individuals and weapons, and I ran out and realized it was ICE, they usually already had him going within the automobile,” Mirenda mentioned. “He is a very arduous employee. He is by no means had a single ticket. He is by no means been pulled over. He isn’t a felony. He has no felony document in any respect.”
Mirenda says it’s a feeling of helplessness for her household with little info coming in from ICE officers.
“We’re devastated. My sister is out right here protesting with me, and we will not do something however simply stand right here and hope every thing seems good. It is loopy,” Mirenda mentioned. “You by no means know what occurs till it actually occurs to you. It is loopy.”
This comes because the Trump administration is committing extra federal assets to Chicago and officers say they are going to have zero tolerance for any interference of ICE operations.
President Donald Trump posted on social media earlier Sunday, referencing Chicago with a video of the escalations between protesters and federal brokers in Broadview.
Protests towards immigration enforcement held in Chicago
Dozens of individuals got here out throughout the town’s North and Northwest sides for what’s being known as a day of motion.
In the meantime, the Indivisible Chicago Alliance, a grassroots group devoted to combating the Trump administration’s insurance policies and actions in Chicago and past, organized occasions within the metropolis on Sunday.
Even earlier than Sunday’s present of pressure downtown, dozens of individuals got here out throughout the town’s North and Northwest sides for what’s being known as a day of motion.
“We expect it is essential that we present the vast majority of us are against what Trump is doing. We’re against ICE. We’re against the militarization of our cities,” mentioned protester Geri Kahn.
Protesters, lots of them members of Indivisible Chicago, fanned out from Irving Park and Lake Shore Drive in Buena Park to Welles Park in North Middle, taking coronary heart from the help of passing motorists.
“We wish to make an enormous assertion that the American folks, the vast majority of the American folks, will not be with the Trump administration,” mentioned protester John Bachtell.
In Humboldt Park, folks additionally got here out, however there, their goal was totally different. Their eyes had been firmly centered on getting folks to the poll field.
“Our actions for immediately are writing postcards to voters in Virginia to remind them to get out and vote as a result of they’ve a very essential Supreme Court docket election arising,” mentioned Kristen Vandawalker with Indivisible Chicago Northwest.
It’s an effort to encourage political motion from those that would possibly really feel their affect, in what’s already a blue state, is proscribed.
“Generally folks really feel like they will solely take a lot motion or have a lot affect throughout the state so it is good to have, hey there’s something actually essential occurring in Pennsylvania we may help with or Virginia or no matter,” mentioned Jessica Jorsch with Indivisible Chicago Northwest.
Sunday’s actions are all a prelude to what’s anticipated to be a large-scale No Kings protest arising three weeks any further Saturday, Oct. 18 in Grant Park.
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