Lawmakers, residents sound alarm after alleged ICE raids in western suburbs

WEST CHICAGO, Ill. (WGN) — Lawmakers, residents and activists are voicing outrage after they say more than 15 people, including one minor, were taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in the western suburbs Monday.

State senators and community leaders said ICE operations appeared to focus heavily on West Chicago, which is located around 30 miles west of Chicago.

“People are afraid. People are scared,” said State Sen. Karina Villa (D-25^th District). “We stand together against ICE.”

Other lawmakers echoed concerns about the effects the raids are having on children and families.

“They’re not just on the street corners. ICE was patrolling around our schools and our places of work,” said State Rep. Maura Hirschauer (D-49^th District). “Today I saw firsthand how terrifying it is for our families, for our educators.”

A spokesperson for the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights says children are witnessing their parents getting arrested.

“We already have in the past 24 hours, two incidents, one in Cicero and one in Little Village, where ICE is doing this to continue to intentionally spread fear and terrorize our communities,” the spokesperson said.

WGN has reached out to ICE for comment but has not yet received a response.