SAEDNEWS: Authorities arrested 21 protesters Friday and said four officers were injured outside a Chicago-area federal immigration facility that activists say functions as a de facto detention center and is plagued by inhumane conditions.
The Cook County Sheriff’s Office reported that most of the arrested individuals faced charges of obstruction, disorderly conduct, and walking on a highway, while one also faced a charge of mob action. The ages of those arrested ranged from 23 to 67, according to the Associated Press.
Four officers were injured while attempting to redirect protesters off the roadway and behind barriers. Two Broadview police officers and one Cook County Sheriff’s Police officer were taken to a hospital. The Sheriff’s Police officer sustained a lower leg injury and was treated and released. The Broadview Police Department confirmed that its officers’ injuries were not life-threatening. An Illinois state trooper received treatment at the scene.
Moments before the clash, demonstrators were singing and chanting. Around 10 a.m., a large group—aware they were likely to be arrested—allegedly crossed the protest barrier and tried to approach the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility.
Some protesters carried signs reading “God’s Love Knows No Borders” and “God Demands Freedom,” and some engaged in prayer. The crowd numbered roughly 300 before dispersing.
The Broadview, Illinois, facility has frequently been the site of protests, particularly on Fridays, targeting a federal immigration crackdown known as “Operation Midway Blitz.” Since September, the operation has resulted in over 3,200 arrests in the Chicago metropolitan area of individuals suspected of violating immigration laws.
The aggressive tactics used by agents from U.S. Customs and Border Protection and ICE have repeatedly drawn criticism, both through legal challenges and public demonstrations.
