ICE in the Community
I want to thank the hundreds of parents and neighbors who showed great community strength on Friday by coming together to protect families in our neighborhoods. We witnessed and documented federal immigration agents who drove using dangerous maneuvers through several northside neighborhoods and endangered children and families near schools with their recklessness. Their horrible driving led to havoc in crosswalks, and many near misses of children and families in our neighborhoods, but ICE agents don't care. They may have arrested people on their lists, but they also arrested American citizens who they clearly profiled, just for walking down the street.
The use of tear gas in Lakeview was also likely another instance of illegal use of force that has been barred by a federal judge. It's the reason why the federal judge has issued a summons for Greg Bovino to appear in court. Bovino was recently caught on camera throwing a tear gas canister at a group of protestors. Similar activity occurred Friday in many north side communities including Bucktown where several of his agents drove down the wrong side of the street, and fled the scene after clipping a pedestrian who was trying to cross the street. For more information on how to join us in pushing back against the illegal acts of ICE and hold them accountable, read more below.
For a refresher on a couple relevant parts of the U.S. Constitution, the First Amendment bars government officials from shutting down peaceful protests, and the the Fourth Amendment bars groundless seizures. There is no exception for indiscriminate profiling of local Latino residents while they're working or walking down the streets of an American city like they are in our communities. Hopefully this federal judge will hold immigration officials accountable for all of the illegal activity that falls outside of the purview of their legal orders and the US Constitution.
Governor Pritzker and state officials have set up an Illinois Accountability Commission that will "create a public record of the conduct of federal agents during “Operation Midway Blitz” and the Trump Administration’s military-style operations throughout the Chicagoland area. Additionally, the Commission will examine the impact of that conduct on individuals and communities and consider policy recommendations to prevent future harm in Illinois." The Commission database is up and running here.