Broadview mayor announces ‘designated protest hours’ as ICE tensions escalate

BROADVIEW, Ill. (WTVO) — In response to escalating tensions near the Beach Street Immigration and Customs Enforcement Processing Facility, Broadview Mayor Katrina Thompson has issued an executive order establishing designated protest hours from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.

Thompson said the move is aimed at balancing the rights of demonstrators with the safety and well-being of Broadview residents.

“We live here,” she said. “Our residents live here and deserve dignity and respect,” she said. “I support the protesters’ cause and their right to free speech, but the repeated clashes with ICE agents are causing enormous disruptions in the quality of life for my residents whose rights I have taken an oath to protect.”

The mayor cited a particularly volatile incident on Saturday night, Oct. 5, when protests spiraled out of control.

“Around 8:00 p.m., Broadview had a very aggressive crowd of protesters and the situation got out of control,” Thompson said. “We had over 60 state troopers helping and had to seek additional assistance from other local police departments who rushed to Broadview to help. And Broadview residents had to suffer through that mayhem.”

Meanwhile, in Chicago, Mayor Brandon Johnson has taken a different approach. His office announced an executive order declaring Chicago an ICE-free zone, barring federal immigration agents from using city-owned property for enforcement operations.

“The measure directs that city employees immediately report any attempted use of city property for immigration enforcement,” Johnson’s office said. “Any such instance will be reported to the Office of the Mayor and the Corporation Counsel.”

The order also includes funding for signage that private landowners and leaseholders can post, stating that their property may not be used for civil immigration enforcement or as a staging area.

Chicago’s stance comes as the city joins a lawsuit led by the Illinois Attorney General to block the deployment of National Guard troops in the state.

The White House responded Monday, with Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt saying, “I don’t think any American would disagree that Chicago needs more law enforcement reinforcements, that they need more resources. Look at this headline from over the weekend. At least 30 people shot during the weekend in Democrat-run Chicago. Five of them were killed in one weekend. This is completely unacceptable.”