Content warning: violence and harm to children
Last week in a largely Black neighborhood of Chicago, federal agents, some descending from helicopters, “pulled parents and children from their apartments in the middle of the night, some of them naked. They zip tied many, releasing some and abducting others” as part of a raid allegedly targeting gang members, but which was actually spreading terror among children and adults just trying to sleep through the night. On Friday, masked federal agents indiscriminately deployed tear gas yards away from school children, forcing schools in the area to have recess indoors. On Saturday, ICE shot a woman in a protest at Brighton Park.
As of yesterday, ICE tried to claim the woman who was shot brandished a gun at them, a claim the woman’s lawyer says is contradicted by the officers’ own bodycam footage. A federal judge seemed to agree with the idea that ICE is lying, calling the officers who fired the shots “a danger to the community.”
David Orlikoff, Chicago District Councilor, NAA member, and author of this op-ed calling on Chicago Mayor Johnson to back up his words with action, witnessed some of the violence. David says:
“Last Friday I witnessed: a strong burning sensation filling the air around Funston Elementary and Rico Fresh grocery store, 5 of my neighbors including a close friend trying to recover from being directly hit by tear gas, an ICE agent threaten to throw tear gas canisters at two kids, and more explosive chemical devices thrown by ICE outside Humboldt Health Hospital. I feared for my life as 3 federal agents in military uniform jumped out of a parked SUV, threatening people with assault rifles.
“At the 14th District Council meeting the next day, concerned residents grew frustrated as Chicago Police reiterated that they would not investigate violations committed by or interfere in the function of ICE—even as ICE attacks our safety, local laws, and the constitution. Experienced organizers added that CPD itself targets Black and Brown communities with 4th amendment violations and has routinely assisted ICE by barricading and arresting anti-ICE protestors.
“If CPD and state police won't enforce 'ICE free zones' by confronting and kicking ICE out, they had better stay home and stop wasting resources attacking residents who are doing the work to keep us safe.”
Action items: Donate to Illinois Coalition of Immigrants and Refugees. If you’re in Chicago and wish to report an ICE sighting or need assistance related to ICE detention, call 855-435-7693.
(Taken from an email sent to me by Never Again Action. Emphasis original.)