Chicago has seen an increase in ICE agents crawling through neighborhoods looking for undocumented immigrants. Social media was popping off all week about raids in areas like Southside Chicago, where U.S. citizens were also allegedly getting bagged. Now, President Donald Trump has threatened to deploy the National Guard, alleging an increase in violence in the city. But Illinois’ governor is clapping back at the White House narrative as the deployment plans remain unclear.
RELATED: Whew! What To Know About Indictment Of Ex-FBI Director James Comey Amid Prosecution Push From Trump
13 Protestors Arrested Near ICE Facility
Federal officials reported the arrests of 13 people protesting on Friday near the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s facility. It’s located in Broadview, on the outskirts of Chicago. Charges were not revealed, but they reportedly included alleged assaults on federal officers.
Protests at the facility have increased as the Trump Administration continues to push immigration enforcement. The surge, called the “Midway Blitz,” began in early September. On Friday, the Department of Homeland Security said the surge has resulted in more than 1,000 immigration arrests in Illinois.
At the ICE facility, some protesters have aimed to block vehicles from going in or out of the area in recent weeks–which is what led to Friday’s arrests.
Governor Wants South Shore Raid Investigated
Early last week, Gov. JB Pritzker ordered state agencies to coordinate possible action to “hold federal agents accountable” for a raid in a South Shore neighborhood apartment building on Tuesday. ICE agents detained and, in some cases, handcuffed residents regardless of status. Agents held up adults and minors for hours. Children were separated from their parents, while officers smashed windows and tore through apartments. In the end, they left piles of debris in the building’s hallways.
Homeland Security said agents allegedly arrested 37 undocumented immigrants. They claimed some had criminal histories, and two were allegedly members of a Venezuelan gang.
ICE Targets MORE Neighborhoods Across Chicago
Fast-forward to Friday. Immigrants’ rights advocates and residents reported that ICE agents had used tear gas near grocery or hardware stores they targeted for enforcement. Additionally, agents detained a city council member as she questioned the attempted arrest of a man, per the Associated Press.
Federal agents have repeatedly fired tear gas, pepper balls and other projectiles toward crowds in response to protests. After being arrested in those clashes, at least five people have faced federal charges, per AP.
For example, Andrew Denton told AP he stopped to get lunch at a Chicago neighborhood grocery when he filmed ICE agents throwing gas canisters at people. Denton said he immediately began tearing up, felt like he was choking and got a runny nose. At the time, there were about 20 people in the area, including seniors, families with children and children outside at recess at an adjacent elementary school.
“There was no reason to use tear gas on the crowd,” Denton said. “No one was threatening them in any way.”
In a near West Side neighborhood a few miles away, Chicago Alderperson Jessie Fuentes shared a video appearing to show her being handcuffed as she confronted federal agents at a hospital. She said a resident had fallen and broken his leg while being chased by ICE agents, who then transported him to the emergency room. She pulled up to the ER, filming agents in the man’s room who refused to clarify whether they had a signed arrest warrant. Eventually, they handcuffed her and escorted her outside the hospital before releasing her.
