The mayor of Broadview, home to the ICE facility at the center of protests, declared what she called a "Civil Emergency" on Monday, moving a village board meeting from in-person to remote.
The office of Mayor Katrina Thompson said she declared the emergency because of a death threat, a bomb threat and a threat that “out-of-town protesters" planned to storm the meeting.
Many who wanted to speak during the meeting were unaware.
There was at least one confrontation at the village hall.
Public comments from the Mayor’s supporters and detractors were read by the clerk during the virtual meeting.
Some were critical of the “out-of-town” reference, noting they live nearby and they have a right to be there protesting.
Others had praise for the mayor.
Thompson spoke at the end of the meeting.
“Typically, we will have a board meeting in-person,” she said, “but due to safety protocols it’s best that we do it virtually to protect the integrity of the people that live and work in this village, our village board of trustees, which is an all-female board, myself. I stand by every decision that has been made.”
A previous meeting ended in chaos.
This follows Friday’s incident during which some protesters clashed with police and some officers and protestors were injured.
The were 21 arrests.
Later, Thompson was critical of what she said were “out-of-town protesters” who attacked police officers, who, she noted, were there to protect free speech rights and to protect protesters from attacks by federal agents.
The mayor’s office said her emergency declaration will remain in place indefinitely.
Press Release from the Village of Broadview:
(Broadview, IL) – Village of Broadview Mayor Katrina Thompson announced today the declaration of a Civil Emergency in Broadview, effective immediately, in response to a series of threats against the mayor and Village Hall.
The declaration comes after specific death threat was made against Mayor Thompson on October 13, alongside a telephone bomb threat targeting the Village Municipal Building (Village Hall) on September 4. The FBI has been notified of threat against Thompson.
The threats grew this past Saturday, November 14, 2025, when a group of out-of-town protesters, non-Broadview residents, attempted to storm Village Hall and explicitly threatened to “shut down” the scheduled Monday, November 17 Board of Trustees meeting, according to the Broadview Police Department.
Additionally, during the protests near the ICE processing center on Saturday two Broadview Police officers were injured when protesters jumped security barriers, leading to 21 arrests. Both officers were transported to Loyal Hospital for treatment, released, and are now sidelined due to their injuries. An Illinois State Police trooper and Cook County Sheriff’s deputy were also injured.
“Since ICE’s Midway Blitz and the subsequent, intensifying protests began, the serious and credible bomb and death threats and the threat to disrupt village government has left me with no alternative but to declare a civil emergency in Broadview,” said Thompson.
“I will not allow threats of violence or intimidation to disrupt the essential functions of our government, and I will not allow other elected officials, Village Hall staff or residents to be placed in harm’s way, which is why I signed a Civil Emergency Executive Order to ensure we can conduct the public’s business securely and without fear of violence.”
The Civil Emergency order will allow for the flexibility necessary for conducting essential in-person meetings of the Village of Broadview Board of Trustees, beginning with tonight's November 17 session.
“The order is designed to preserve the continuity of governance in light of the imminent threats against the lives of Village officials and public property,” said Thompson.
The Civil Emergency will remain in place until the mayor determines that the immediate and imminent threat to Village officials and property is no longer present, at which point the Executive Order will be rescinded.