‘This is our home’: At least 5 people detained by ICE in Archer Heights on Sunday, activists and area leaders say

CHICAGO (WGN) — Several arrests on the city’s Southwest Side by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials on Sunday are being met by protests and claims of discrimination.

Community activists said Sunday afternoon that at least three people were detained in the Archer Heights neighborhood. By Sunday night, Ald. Jeylu Gutierrez (14th Ward) confirmed at least five people had been detained.

Faith leaders plan to gather downtown in Daley Plaza later Monday morning to denounce federal troops coming to Chicago and urge President Donald Trump and his administration to invest in other resources.

Flower vendor detained

According to the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR), a man who residents say is a local flower vendor was taken into custody Sunday near the intersection of 50th Street and Pulaski Avenue in Archer Heights.

Surveillance video from a nearby restaurant shows the man being detained by multiple individuals wearing bulletproof vests labelled “police” and “federal agent.”

U.S. Rep. Jesus “Chuy” Garcia of Illinois’ 4th District told WGN-TV it appeared the agents grabbed the vendor off the street and did not show a warrant.

“He’s been a vendor here for quite some time,” Celena Morin said. “You see him consistently, especially on the weekends. (He’s) a very sweet gentleman, never causing problems with anyone, very respectful.”

Activists say at least two other detentions occurred in the area, including one at 47th Street and Archer Avenue. Video shows a man being marched to a vehicle by armed officers, and activists reported ICE activity as far south as 79th Street and Pulaski Road.

“We helped build this city through our labor and work,” Corina Pedraza with ICIRR said. “People may be afraid, but also they’re determined to say, ‘This is our home, this is where we belong. We won’t tolerate our people getting kidnapped.'”

Garcia condemned the ICE detainments.

“This is the type of racial, ethnic profiling that is going on, and they are pursuing people who are humble, who may not speak English and aren’t a threat to anyone,” he said. “They didn’t have a court order to pick up someone who sells flowers on a street corner and has been doing it for years.”

Raids expected

ICE raids were expected in Chicago over the weekend, and Sunday’s detainments came just a day after thousands of protestors rallied against Trump’s plans to send federal troops to Chicago for expanded immigration enforcement.

“This is not going after the worst of the worst, as Trump or Secretary (of Homeland Security Kristi) Noem have tried to justify,” Garcia said. “This is racial profiling, it’s discriminatory, it’s wrong, and is a potential threat to the civil rights of everyone in this country.”

Sunday’s detainments also came a day after the Mexican Independence Day Parade in Pilsen, during which a network of volunteers lined the parade route on the lookout for ICE. Parade attendance was down because of those concerns.

So far, there have been no sightings of National Guard troops in Chicago.

WGN-TV has reached out to ICE for comment but has not heard back.