Chicago suburb joins others in warning residents about ‘unwelcomed’ ICE activity

MAYWOOD, Ill. – Maywood has joined a list of Chicago suburbs that are warning residents of an increased presence of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents.

What they’re saying:

Maywood Mayor Nathaniel George Booker released a statement Tuesday, outlining resources and services for residents.

“The Village of Maywood stands united with Illinois and Cook County at this critical moment in defense of democracy. We have communicated in partnership with the county that uninvited, unwanted and unjustified visited from ICE is unwelcomed. Together, we will ensure that no show of force is stronger than a united community,” Booker said in a statement.

Among the resources highlighted in the statement were:

The backstory:

The warning comes as President Donald Trump has renewed his focus on Chicago and Illinois, repeatedly citing violent crime as justification for tougher federal intervention.

Over the weekend, Trump pointed to recent shootings in Chicago and doubled down on plans to target immigration enforcement. He also defended a Truth Social post featuring an AI-generated image of himself styled as a Vietnam War movie character with the caption “Chipocalypse Now,” a post that critics said threatened deportations and military action in the city.

When pressed, Trump said his administration’s approach was about “cleaning up cities,” not war. Still, he has suggested deploying the National Guard to Chicago, calling it “a mess.”

Big picture view:

Maywood is the latest suburb to launch a “know your rights” campaign regarding immigration enforcement. Other surrounding areas to issue similar statements include Berwyn, Evanston and Cook County among others.

On Tuesday, the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights reported that ICE vehicles were seen parked outside the Cook County Courthouse.