Broadview leaders to address clashes at ICE facility, use of chemical agents

BROADVIEW, Ill. – Village leaders in Broadview will address the ongoing clashes between agents and protesters at the ICE processing facility on Tuesday.

Broadview Mayor Katrina Thompson and Police Chief Thomas Mills will join other local officials at 11 a.m. to talk about “the repeated, unprovoked deployment of chemical agents that have impacted residents, first responders, and protestors.”

The mayors of Oak Park and Forest Park will also be there after they sent their police forces to assist Broadview police. Officials plan to address “ongoing criminal investigations related to ICE activities.”

Big picture view:

For over five weeks, protests and rallies have been held outside the ICE processing center located at 1930 Beach Street.

ICE uses the Broadview facility to process undocumented immigrants arrested during Operation Midway Blitz and Operation At Large. 

In recent confrontations, ICE agents have deployed pepper balls and tear gas at protesters

Activists have been calling for investigations into the facility since July, claiming detainees sleep on floors, have no showers and get one meal a day. They argued the facility is being used as a detention center even though it was built for short holds of 12 hours. 

Last week, a tall fence was installed outside the center, allowing transport vehicles and ICE agents to enter and exit with less face-to-face interactions with demonstrators.

Dig deeper:

Five people have been charged for their alleged roles in the protests outside the Broadview ICE facility on Saturday when agents tried to break up the group, using gas and rubber bullets.

Federal officials said they made contact with agents who were outside trying to create a safe passage for other immigration personnel. A couple who was detained outside the facility was accused of carrying guns.