The Department of Homeland Security has arrested more than five hundred people in the past two weeks in the Chicago area as part of “Operation Midway Blitz” targeting illegal immigration.
While Chicago Police and the State of Illinois itself are not assisting in the deportation surge, a government building in nearby suburb of Broadview has been used by the feds as a home base deploying agents, and receiving detained migrants. For activists intent on disrupting these operations, the facility has become an epicenter of resistance.
On Friday, September 19, activists attempted to block vehicles going in and out to hinder operations.
After one early morning blockade, an “unlawful assembly” was declared as agents deployed sting ball rounds and tear gas to break through a blockade.
As a man dressed as Captain America was arrested, one agent unholstered his firearm.
Much of the crowd dispersed as the day went on, but others continued their attempts to disrupt the deportation action.
In the evening hours, many additional activists arrived, reigniting a blitz from the feds that led to several arrests and a flurry of less-lethal munitions, four of which impacted this videographer.
In the aftermath of national attention to the conflict at the Broadview, Illinois ICE facility, Huffington Post, without naming a source or providing any documentary proof, reported on Sunday night that they had seen Homeland Security communications suggesting that the facility would be evacuated, and operations relocated.
Later that same night, Huffington Post issued an update to their story. DHS, they now report “decided to keep it open and operational,” and a DHS spokesperson called reports that they had ever planned to evacuate “false.”
For their part, the protesters say, they’ll be back every Friday, for as long as it takes.
