ELGIN, Ill. – A student at Elgin Community College was taken into custody Thursday morning by federal immigration agents, the school confirmed.
What we know:
ECC said the student was detained in a parking lot outside a building on its main campus, and they described the apprehension as an “isolated incident.”
“ECC does not engage in immigration enforcement and does not voluntarily share information about students’ immigration status,” the school said in a post on Facebook.
What we don’t know:
The identity of the student detained has not been shared by federal authorities or the school. It is also unclear at this point why he was taken into custody.
“Our focus remains on supporting our students and maintaining a safe, welcoming learning environment,” ECC said in the post. “Additionally, we are in communication with local legislators and community leaders regarding this incident.”
The backstory:
The detention comes days after federal officials expanded immigration operations in the Chicago area.
Border Patrol agents announced “Operation At Large” this week, while ICE launched “Operation Midway Blitz” last week, resulting in at least 13 arrests of undocumented immigrants who the Department of Homeland Security described as the “worst of the worst.”
The Trump administration has increased federal immigration enforcement in major U.S. cities, including Chicago, where officials say their operations are targeting undocumented immigrants with criminal records. Gov. JB Pritzker and other state leaders have criticized the moves, saying they spread fear among immigrant communities.
Meanwhile, pushback continues in Chicago. Mayor Brandon Johnson recently signed an executive order protecting the right to protest against immigration enforcement in the city.
The Source: The information in this story came from Elgin Community College and previous FOX 32 reporting.
