Residents have been informed by officials in the western suburbs of Chicago that a local building will serve as the “main enforcement site” for the upcoming “large-scale enforcement operation” by federal officials, as people anticipate the federal immigration enforcement action in Illinois.
Photos and videos released on Thursday (September 4) show that the windows of the brick building have been boarded up. The federal immigration facility at 1930 Beach St. in Broadview town, about 12 miles from downtown Chicago, is expected to be used for immigration enforcement actions seven days a week, lasting about 45 days.
Residents were warned in a letter by Broadview Mayor Katrina Thompson that protests similar to the earlier events in Los Angeles may occur around the building, where property damage and attacks on law enforcement officers have been reported.
The letter indicated that federal officials have recently informed the community about this plan. Thompson emphasized that town officials have a responsibility to provide information to residents about immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activities that may affect the local community and to engage in problem-solving. She stressed the need for clear and timely communication with residents and close cooperation with businesses along Beach Drive to alert them about possible traffic disruptions affecting employee commuting and goods delivery in the next 45 to 60 days.
At the same time, other towns around Chicago have issued alerts to residents, anticipating the deployment of federal immigration enforcement officers at the Great Lakes Naval Base in North Chicago. According to the Chicago Sun-Times, federal agents may be stationed at the base in September.
A spokesperson for the U.S. Navy confirmed that the Great Lakes Naval Base has received a potential request from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to support Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations. However, no decision has been made yet, and the request may involve providing limited support to DHS operations through facilities, infrastructure, and other logistical means.
Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker stated at a press conference on Tuesday that similar situations to those in Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. are expected to occur in Chicago in the coming days. He mentioned that personnel are being reassigned and deployed from Los Angeles to Chicago, with collective action already underway since yesterday. Pritzker also indicated that ICE’s expanded enforcement operations in the Chicago area are expected to commence this Saturday.
President Trump hinted on Wednesday that New Orleans may be the next city where he deploys the National Guard to combat crime, rather than Chicago. He is waiting for a request for assistance from the Governor of Illinois.
Trump mentioned that since federal forces were deployed to Washington, D.C. in August, the crime rate in the capital has decreased, and he has received a request for assistance from Louisiana’s Republican Governor Jeff Landry. Trump emphasized that he will not send the National Guard to patrol in certain states if their governors do not wish for federal mobilization.
(This article references reports from NBC and ABC)