BROADVIEW — A day after the mayor of suburban Broadview sounded the alarm about ICE officials “making war” in her community, federal authorities appeared to double down Saturday, arresting at least one journalist and using chemical weapons on protesters and members of the press.
In a Friday letter to the Department of Homeland Security, Broadview Mayor Katrina Thompson asked that the agency stop “deploying chemical arms, such as tear gas, pepper spray, etc. against American citizens, our residents, and our first responders,” at the ICE processing facility, 1903 Beach St. in Broadview.
After the letter was covered by the media, Broadview police were warned by ICE of increased enforcement action Saturday, which they believe is an act of retaliation by Homeland Security for speaking out.
“In retaliation for the Village of Broadview yesterday calling on the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency to ‘stop making war on our community,’ ICE agents this morning informed the Broadview Police Department that there will be ‘a s*** show’ in Broadview today,” a press release from the village said.
The Sun-Times reports that agents fired pepper balls into a group of about 75 protesters Saturday evening and made several arrests.
Steve Held, a journalist with investigative upstart Unraveled Press, was among those arrested Saturday, according to Unraveled and other journalists on the scene. Unraveled said on social media early Sunday that Held was “safe” and among those released by federal authorities overnight.
Raven Geary, Held’s colleague at Unraveled, was shot in the face with a pepper ball by federal officers on Friday and sought medical attention afterwards, Block Club reporters witnessed.
“We have never witnessed anything like what ICE has unleashed on our communities this week,” Unraveled said in a statement posted to social media Sunday.
Eleven people were arrested outside the ICE facility Saturday, the Department of Homeland Security said in a statement posted to the platform X, previously known as Twitter.
In a joint statement ahead of Saturday’s planned protest, Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss, State Sen. Robert Peters and Ald. Andre Vasquez (40th) urged civilians to stay away from further protests near the facility — fearing that ICE will be willing to use lethal force on peaceful protesters.
“ICE has escalated their use of tear gas, pepper rounds, and rubber bullets, shooting protesters and members of the press in the face without provocation on numerous occasions,” the letter states. “ICE agents at Broadview have also unholstered their guns repeatedly, pointing machine and hand guns directly at protesters. ICE is willing to use lethal force, as we’ve seen in the recent killing of Silverio Villegas Gonzalez in Franklin Park.”
Federal officers representing the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms were seen assisting Homeland Security agents outside the Broadview facility Saturday.
Tensions have been escalating outside of the processing facility in the western suburb since Sept. 19, when federal officers began shooting pepper spray balls, deploying tear gas and throwing flash bang grenades at protesters attempting to block federal vehicles from entering and exiting the premises.
Friday’s protest saw federal officers unleash more violence on protesters, including a sniper who shot baton rounds into a crowd of hundreds packed into a parking lot adjacent to the facility.
Saturday’s action comes as President Donald Trump announced a deployment of federal troops to ICE facilities in Portland, Oregon, and elsewhere – authorizing “full force” on protesters he described as extremists.
In a statement Saturday, Gov. J.B. Pritzker said he is “monitoring the federal deployments” and in close contact with Broadview police.
“I urge members of the public to remain calm, stay safe, and document what you see with your phones and cameras,” Pritzker said. My senior team has also asked legal organizations to support monitoring on the ground. By observing and recording peacefully, we can ensure that any violations of the law are brought to light and those responsible are held accountable.”
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