Masked federal agents used non-lethal ammunition against protesters outside a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) processing center in west suburban Broadview Friday morning.
Amid chants, whistles, and shouting, protesters attempted to block a white van from leaving the ICE processing facility. Armed personnel stationed on the building’s rooftop could be seen, and popping sounds came from federal officers using non-lethal ammunition to disperse the crowd. Some agents were seen using physical force, shoving and pushing individuals.
Among those caught in the protest was Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss, 48, who has attended at least one previous protest at the processing center. Biss is also running for the U.S. House of Representatives in Illinois’ 9th Congressional District, a seat currently held by Democratic Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky. She has represented the district since 1999, but announced this year that she would not seek reelection in 2026.
Biss posted a video of him on social media from the scene, saying:
“I’m back at the Broadview ICE facility where I was part of a protest just a few minutes ago. Not only did they come with weapons and a violent show of force and drive a van into us, but then they tear-gassed us. It was terrifying, impossible to breathe, and really, really scary. The point is they are trying to intimidate us from standing up and being a part of the nonviolent resistance, and we will not be intimidated.”
Broadview Mayor Katrina Thompson criticized Biss’ presence in a press release, framing it as campaign-driven and unsafe.
“Evanston Mayor and congressional candidate Daniel Biss’ repeated appearances and provocations at the ICE facility in the Village of Broadview, with his videographer and photographer in tow, are helping to fuel the agitation of an already tense situation, which could endanger our police officers, firefighters, demonstrators themselves, and the surrounding Proviso Township communities,” Thompson said in a statement.
“He has lacked the decency and respect to call me or to notify my office when he comes to my community to engage in provocative campaign activities at the ICE facility. He should know better. He’s a mayor,” Thompson continued. “Broadview would be better served by the presence of Evanston police officers helping to bolster our small force to protect demonstrators rather than a candidate creating Instagram videos and giving media interviews boosting his campaign. This is not the leadership that we need in Congress.”
The protests at the facility have been constant amid Operation Midway Blitz, a Department of Homeland Security initiative launched September 8. More than 400 people suspected of not having legal status have been arrested in the Chicago area in less than two weeks since the operation began, according to Marcos Charles, acting head of ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations who made the statement on Friday to the Associated Press.
Among the more than 400 arrests carried out as part of Operation Midway Blitz, roughly 50 to 60% were targeted at specific individuals with prior convictions or removal orders. According to Charles, the remainder were “collateral arrests,” of people encountered during operations.
Collateral arrests were prohibited under the Biden administration but were reinstated under President Donald Trump as part of his push to increase deportations.
Immigrant advocates say the sweeps have heightened fear in Chicago-area communities and have included U.S. citizens who were mistakenly detained and released. ICE officials maintain they are enforcing federal law and argue that state and local sanctuary policies have forced them into neighborhoods to locate people with deportable offenses.
ICE officials say Operation Midway Blitz currently has no set end date.