Washington, DC – As the occupation enters its third week, on Wednesday afternoon, September 3, the DC Against Trump Coalition (DCAT) gathered in front of the Wilson Building, home to the mayor’s office and city council, to protest Mayor Muriel Bowser’s latest capitulation to the Trump administration.

Organized in less than 24 hours, DCAT mobilized 50 people to respond to an executive order signed by the mayor that will indefinitely allow local police forces to cooperate with federal law enforcement. This move represents the latest concession to the Trump administration, which ordered the National Guard into the city three weeks ago.

Protesters made their voices heard inside City Hall as they chanted, “We don’t need collaboration, end this racist occupation!” City Hall employees later confirmed that the crowd was heard loudly enough inside the building to disrupt meetings, and that Mayor Bowser was in the building.

“The DC Against Trump Coalition was built to fight back against Trump’s racist occupation of DC,” Merawi Gerima, emcee and member of the DC Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, stated, “and now we see that also means fighting back against Mayor Bowser who is committed to rolling out the red carpet for him and his cronies.”

“DC police agencies are now hooking up with federal [law enforcement] agencies,” said Paige White, DCAARPR member and a leader of the DC Lawyers Against Trump Coalition, “and these federal agencies don’t actually know anything about policing. They don’t know anything about the Fourth Amendment, they don’t know anything about your Miranda Rights, and they certainly don’t want to protect them.”

Attendees were heard by police and politicians inside and outside the building, chanting, “Racist, coward, crooked, cops, get a fucking real job!” and “Bowser and Trump, sitting in a tree, attacking and terrorizing kids in DC!” before marching across the street to wave signs and chant as cars passed by.

“I get it from both sides. I am Black and an immigrant,” stated a protester who has become a regular figure at DCAT actions with a “Fuck ICE/Gestapo ICE 2025” banner mounted on poles. “I was scared at first, but then I realized I have to fight for my people who cannot. I will not be silent and allow the Trump occupation to do whatever it wants!”

DCAT’s next action is a Mass Cop Watch on Friday, September 5 at Navy Yard Metro at 7 p.m.

#WashingtonDC #DC #BlackLivesMatter #ImmigrantRights #Trump #InJusticeSystem #DCAT #DCAARPR #DCLAT

Tampa, FL – August 31 was the first celebration of Chicano Liberation Day in Tampa history. Tampa Immigrants’ Rights Committee marked the 55th anniversary of the Chicano Moratorium with a showing of the HBO film Walkout, starring Alexa PenaVega and Michael Peña, directed by Chicano actor and East Los Angeles native Edward James Olmos.

The celebration was held at a local bar, La Cantina. The film depicts the events of Spring 1968 East Los Angeles high school walkouts, or Chicano Blowout, where students walked out of five East LA schools to demand better conditions, like allowing Spanish to be spoken and an end to corporal punishment. People who attended the showing learned about both the walkouts and the history of Chicano Liberation Day.

The history of Chicano Liberation Day begins in 1970, when, as moderator Val Beron of TIRC explained, “over 20,000 Chicanos marched in Los Angeles to protest the Vietnam War, specifically the fact that Chicanos made up 29% of casualties despite being 5% of the total U.S. population. Chicanos felt that the true struggle wasn’t in the jungles of Vietnam, but the barrios at home.” This march, called the Chicano Moratorium, demanded an end to U.S. involvement in Vietnam, and an end to oppression at home, such as police violence.

As Florida and the nation experience a wave of anti-immigrant and anti-Chicano repression from the reactionary Trump and DeSantis administrations, the film and the Chicano Moratorium also resonate today. However, just as in the film, when the people organize and fight back, they win – as the concentration camp for immigrants in the Everglades was just shut down this past month due to legal efforts of the Miccosukee Tribe and political pressure from the people holding constant protests.

The Tampa Immigrants’ Rights Committee will be holding a know your rights training in the near future in an effort to further develop a rapid response network to ICE terror in the Bay area. They can be found on Instagram and Facebook at TampaIRC.

#TampaFL #FL #ImmigrantRights #ChicanoMoratorium #Chicanos #OppressedNationalities #TIRC

Portland OR – On August 28, protesters rallied outside the Portland Permitting and Development Department to demand the city revoke the conditional use permit for the Portland Macadam ICE Sub Field Office.

The protest was held by Revoke the ICE Permit PDX, a coalition formed by Portland Contra las Deportaciones. After weeks of meeting with city council members and putting pressure on elected officials at city hall, organizers decided to go to the department directly responsible for managing permits in the city.

According to the conditional use permit granted to the facility in 2011, the facility is required to hold detainees no longer than 12 hours, and no detainees can be held overnight. A recent Fox 12 Oregon News Segment found ICE has violated this clause at least 28 times. In 20 of these cases, the individuals were held for over 24 hours, violating the rule that no detainee can be held overnight. According to this data, 24 of the 28 violations occurred after President Donald Trump returned to office.

This is in line with a pattern around the country, where ICE Field Offices that previously served as a location for mainly administrative work and check ins have increasingly detained immigrants for days on end, with no bedding, showers, sinks, limited food and access to medical care.

Shawnee Miller, a resident of Grays landing, a low-income housing complex directly across from ICE facility, gave personal testimony outside of the permitting office, “Let me be clear, we are not collateral damage. We are actual Portland citizens who are all being affected by these terroristic acts. When you deploy chemical weapons against a peaceful community you are creating a state of terror. When you ignore our calls for help, you are telling us that we are alone and that our safety doesn’t matter.”

This comes the week after residents of Grays landing held a press conference outside of their homes demanding that the city take action against the ICE Facility. Teargas and other chemicals weapons have been used on a regular basis outside of the Macadam Facility. At times ICE agents have even gone as far as shooting at residents trying to record these violations from their balcony.

Revoke the ICE Permit organizer Holly Brown weighed in on the inaction on the part of city officials, “Our elected officials continue to drag their feet and hide behind bureaucratic procedures to justify their inaction, while ICE terrorizes our city. But we will continue to put pressure on the city to do the right thing and shut down the Macadam ICE facility, no excuses.”

Protesters expressed concern about the inaction of city officials given the continual violation of the permit and resolved to continue to put pressure on the government. The next action scheduled for the Revoke the ICE Permit coalition will be at city hall on September 17.

#PortlandOR #OR #ImmigrantRights #ICE #RIPPDX #PCLD

Tacoma, WA – On September 1, the International Migrant’s Alliance – USA (IMA USA) and La Resistencia hosted a rally for solidarity with immigrants and to shut down the Northwest Detention Center. The All Out for Migrant Defense rally was attended by over 850 people.

Many of the attendees traveled from Portland, Oregon as part of the closing event of the 2025 IMA USA and Tanggol Migrante Political Conference. This included a large caravan of over 50 cars and two school buses.

The Northwest Detention Center in Tacoma has become the place for many organizations to unite to fight the United States’ immigration policy. Other organizations like International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (ICHRP) Seattle, Bayan Washington, and the Oregon Rising Coalition also attended.

Angela Bonilla, president of the Portland Association of Teachers and member of the Oregon Rising Coalition spoke on behalf of the importance of building unity between labor unions and community-based organizations, stating, “This alliance has come together to improve the lives of the working class by taking back power and wealth that has been extracted by our communities.”

This call for unity has followed an interstate effort to end the inhumane conditions at the Northwest Detention Center (NWDC). The NWDC is managed by a publicly traded company called the GEO Group that receives money from the U.S. government to imprison people during the immigration process.

La Resistencia has been documenting the conditions at the NWDC for over 11 years and has received reports from detainees that conditions are getting even worse. One of the leaders of La Resistencia reported that detainees were being kept in the detention center long after they should have been released or deported. They also said that one detainee had to survive a seven-day hunger strike to finally get deported.

The rally included further testimony of families of those detained in the NWDC. Three different families were able to speak about the horrible conditions inside of the facility. Each speech had a common theme: end the contract with the detention center and to treat all working people with dignity.

#PortlandOR #OR #ImmigrantRights #IMA #LaResistencia #PAT #ORC #TanggolMigrante

Denver, CO – On Monday, September 1, over 1000 protesters assembled at the Colorado State Capitol for a Labor Day march. The march was part of nationwide mobilization entitled “Workers over Billionaires!” and was organized by a broad coalition of organizations including the Freedom Road Socialist Organization, Denver Anti-War Action, Colorado Education Association, and Colorado 50501.

The program began with speeches from several labor organizers on the power of organizing.

“In 2023, we launched the biggest contract campaign in decades,” said Katherine Draken, a rank-and-file UPS Teamster and member of Teamsters for a Democratic Union, “And we won! We were ready to go on strike and UPS knew it. We got rid of the two-tier system, and we got the biggest wage increase ever!”

After the speeches, the 1000-plus crowd took to the streets and marched to the Denver Federal Immigration Court, where ICE has been kidnapping immigrants who show up for court check-ins. Along the march, the crowd chanted “What’s disgusting? Union busting!” and “When immigrant rights are under attack, what do we do? Stand up, fight back!” Then, the crowd marched back to the capitol building and heard speeches from more organizers.

The crowd then took the streets for a second march, this time to the mansion of Colorado Governor Jared Polis. Polis, a Democrat, has faced criticism for not standing up against the Trump administration. In one example, he even had Colorado law enforcement agencies collaborate with ICE, in violation of a state law against such collaboration.

“Governor Polis's administration betrayed its commitment to the immigrant community by pressuring officials to unlawfully share private data with ICE. This action undermines state privacy laws and erodes trust in public institutions meant to serve and protect all residents. We can't allow our community to be attacked by those in power, the community must fight back and take back power!” said Brandon Gehrke of Aurora Unidos CSO.

#DenverCO #CO #Labor #ImmigrantRights #Trump #NoKings #LaborDay #DAWC #CEA #50501 #CSO

Los Angeles, CA – On Saturday, August 30, hundreds of Chicano activists and community members gathered in East Los Angeles to commemorate the 55th Chicano Moratorium. Organized by Centro CSO along with a coalition of activist organizations, the day’s march and rally centered the fight for Chicano self-determination, an end to Trump’s ICE attacks, and solidarity with Palestine.

The Chicano Moratorium is known as the Chicano Liberation Day, honoring August 29, 1970 when 30,000 Chicanos marched in East LA to protest the Vietnam War, the high casualty rate of Chicanos in that war, and racist conditions. The rally was attacked by the Los Angeles Police Department and LA Sheriff’s Department whose officers swung batons and teargassed the entire community. Hundreds were arrested and three killed, including Ruben Salazar, a well-known journalist who had become critical of police and immigration abuses. Many believe he was targeted for assassination.

The police attack caused the community to rebel and fight back against the police and many police went down. This historic day is part of the longtime struggle of Chicanos for self-determination. Since the Mexican-American War, Chicanos in the Southwest have faced fierce oppression, but have always resisted. That march and rally brought in a new generation of fighters for Chicano Liberation.

55 years later, the demands of Chicano activists are similar. For this 55th annual Chicano Moratorium, organizers hung a banner on the lead truck of the march. The banner listed the current demands: Self-determination for the Chicano Nation, solidarity with Palestine, ICE out of LA, community control over the police, defend public education, and no to U.S. wars!

The day’s activities started with a rally at the Sound of Music, formerly the Silver Dollar Bar where Salazar was murdered. Carlos Montes, member of the Central Committee of Freedom Road Socialist Organization and a long-time veteran of the Chicano Movement, kicked off the rally with a speech about how the struggle of the Vietnamese people against the U.S. military radicalized a generation of Chicanos to oppose U.S. imperialism. Other speakers at the first rally included Beña Martinez, representing About Face: Veterans Against the War, who talked about resisting wars, military recruitment, and the presence of troops in U.S. cities, and Ernesto Ayala, chair of el Partido La Raza Unida, who noted the long history of Chicano resistance.

Derek Mejia, a leader of CSO’s Police Accountability Committee, introduced a block of speakers against police crimes. Stating, “Much like the IDF, LAPD and LASD are instrumental in the United States’ attacks and continued suppression of the right toward self-determination of the oppressed Chicano people of Aztlan.”

Mejia’s speech also focused on how Centro CSO has taken up a campaign to win justice for Jeremy Flores who was killed by LAPD’s Hollenbeck Division in June. Cindy Nuñez, a member of United Families for Justice and the sister of Francisco Nuñez, shared about the fight to expose LASD brutality while Arienne Duncan demanded justice for Jimmy Lopez, who was beaten to death by the Hemet Police Department.

Angelica Reyes, a member of Union del Barrio and a LAUSD teacher, gave a speech about fighting for her students and families against the brutal ICE raids. Liza Peña from La Mesa Brown Berets closed the rally with a speech about how the Brown Berets continue the fight for Chicano power.

After the kickoff rally, over 500 people began marching down the historic Whittier Boulevard with energetic chants like “Chicano power!” “Fuera la Migra!” “Viva, viva Palestina!” and “Aqui estamos y no nos vamos.” The public responded with yells, raising fists and honking horns. 90-plus degree weather did not stop the loud, energetic political chanting, denouncing Trump’s racist attacks.

As the marchers arrived at Salazar Park, they were met with cheers as they joined the crowd. The main rally began with a speech by Sol Marquez of FRSO LA, who said, “We named our nation Aztlan in 1969, and we will continue to organize with the multi-national working class to overthrow Trump!”

Then Art and Terry Navarrete followed by sharing about Centro CSO’s immigration work, which includes barrio walks and the victory of having the charges dropped on Alejandro Orellana. Sabrina Medina talked about getting raided by the ICE and FBI, which included having the Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem and Dr. Phil in her home. “They have been terrorizing my family! Don’t let the FBI and ICE agents harass your family or our neighborhood,” said Medina. Her mother Lisa Medina, a street vendor activist, was arrested and deported.

Dr. Rocio Rivas, LAUSD board member, spoke about the importance of education and defending students and families, stating, “Solo el pueblo salva al pueblo, adelante mi gente!” Longtime UFW/SEIU organizer Eliseo Medina said, “When people stand up and fight, they will always win!”

Sergio Flores, brother of Jeremy Flores, stated, “They get to go home and continue on with their everyday activities, while we get to never see my brother again, love him again, laugh with him again. And that’s not right!” Sergio gave his speech with his mother and sisters standing beside him. Black Lives Matter-LA Grassroots leader Baba Akili gave an energetic speech about uniting Black and Chicano people to fight Trump’s attacks.

United Teachers Los Angeles Vice President Gloria Martinez spoke about the struggle to defend public education. Juan Parrino of Los Rucos talked about the original Chicano Moratorium issues and how we are fighting similar struggles today. Lupe Carrasco Cardona of the Association of Raza Educators talked about promoting and defending ethnic studies and how the association is part of the community defense against ICE raids.

Sammy Carrera, a member of Centro CSO and a Teamster Local 396, stated, “ICE agents are kidnapping and terrorizing the working class while the monopoly capitalists are getting rich off the prison industrial complex.” He also said Chicanos know how to fight back and will do so against ICE attacks.

The 55th Chicano Moratorium reinforced the fight for self-determination for the Chicano nation, solidarity with Palestine and the ongoing fight against ICE attacks. It also stressed the importance of fighting against police killing with the demand of community control of police and the key fights to defend and promote public education against privatization.

Vera Topete, a Centro CSO member and emcee concluded the rally by encouraging people to join Centro CSO.

#LosAngelesCA #CA #ChicanoMoratorium #OppressedNationalities #ImmigrantRights #CSO

Jacksonville, FL – On August 29, the Jacksonville Immigrant Rights Alliance (JIRA) held a protest against Governor DeSantis's planned concentration camp within the Baker County Correctional Facility. The protest took place within the center of Jacksonville, at the city's own Friendship Fountain.

After JIRA mobilized over 700 people to Camp Blanding on July 19, Governor Ron DeSantis changed the location of the planned detention camp from Camp Blanding to the Baker County Correctional Facility. The site was previously shut down in 2021, with inhumane conditions being one of the cited reasons.

A JIRA speaker called the project the “Baker Cruelty Camp” rather than the “Deportation Depot” as Ron DeSantis has dubbed it, stating, “Let's be clear: people were tortured in this building. Guillermo Serrabi was held in solitary for 88 days – he was assaulted by a guard who ruptured his eardrum, and he was denied medical care. Ana Doe, a survivor of trafficking, was placed in solitary, stripped, restrained and sexually mocked by guards! This is this facility's legacy. This is what DeSantis is reopening!”

The Jacksonville Immigrant Rights Alliance organized the event which drew support from Freedom Road Socialist Organization, Jacksonville Palestine Solidarity Network, Jacksonville Community Action Committee, Students for a Democratic Society, the UPS Teamsters Union, FloridaRising, 50501 Veterans, the Malaya Movement, and the Democratic Socialists of America.

As dozens of protesters gathered atop the hill at Friendship Fountain, Monica Martinez with JIRA said, “This cruelty doesn't just affect those who end up inside its walls. This puts a target on the back of every immigrant in northeast Florida. Right now, ICE is operating indiscriminately – kidnapping and attempting to deport community members regardless of their status, tearing families apart and terrorizing our communities.”

Martinez then talked about a person recently detained within Duval County: Diana Marcela Mieja, owner of a small business within the Springfield area of Jacksonville.

“This is not abstract!” Martinez said. “She was detained by ICE after a mental health crisis. She is a legal resident, a business owner, a beloved member of our community. This is who they are targeting! This is why we fight!”

#JacksonvilleFL #FL #ImmigrantRights #ICE #JIRA #JPSN #JCAC #SDS #FloridaRising #50501 #Teamsters #MalayaMovement

Chicago, IL – 10,000 Chicagoans gathered at the West Loop Haymarket Memorial on Monday, September 1, for a “Workers over Billionaires” protest called by the Chicago Federation of Labor for a militant Labor Day demonstration.

The protest was a response to Trump’s sweeping attacks on working and oppressed people, with particular focus on his attacks on federal workers’ bargaining rights, Immigrant rights, and his threats to send federal troops into Chicago.

In March, President Trump signed an executive order attempting to strip collective bargaining rights from almost 1 million federal workers. In recent weeks, he has made consistent threats to send military forces into cities run by Black mayors, with particular malice toward Chicago’s mayor and the union city that elected him.

To open his remarks at the Labor Day protest, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson fired up the crowd with chants of “No federal troops in the city of Chicago!” The mayor took a fighting stance with regards to Trump’s attacks on Chicago, describing his administration’s efforts to defend and invest in workers, especially Black and brown workers. Johnson spoke with pride about helping abolish the sub-minimum wage, ratify a transformative Chicago Teacher’s Union contract, and invest in affordable housing units on the South and West sides.

“We have stood up for the interests of workers before and we will do it again Johnson said. “We will always be a labor town.”

Johnson’s emphasis on the role of unions and working class people in mobilizing against Trump’s attacks to come was clear. “I need you all to stand firm and stand strong,” he said.

Chicago Teachers Union President Stacy Davis-Gates matched Johnson’s words, stating, “In Chicago, we reject a billionaire’s tyranny in our city,” she said. “Solidarity is the antidote to white supremacy. Solidarity is the antidote to anti-immigrant fever. Solidarity is the antidote to transphobia and homophobia.”

“It is because of unions that there are no children who are working underage, and because of unions that we have health benefits, sick leave and vacation time,” said Reverend Jamal Bryant, a senior pastor of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Atlanta. He called for labor forces to fight back once again. “There are more labor workers than there are billionaires.”

After the initial program at the Haymarket Monument, the protesters began marching west, chanting and holding signs promoting workers’ and Immigrants’ rights, and opposing Trump and his threats to send in troops to Chicago.

First stop: Workers over billionaires!

The march stopped at the corner of Fulton and Sangamon, outside the offices of Valor Equity Partners, a company founded by Chicago billionaire Antonio Gracias.

Toni Frazier, a childcare professional and SEIUHCII member, has worked in childcare for more than 34 years. She called out Gracias for not only hoarding billions off the backs of workers but also working with Musk to cut Social Security. These attacks hit close to home for Frazier, whose granddaughter needs special services for autism and whose niece is disabled and struggles to access healthcare. “We are here to take care of those who need help the most,” Frazier said. “That ain’t the billionaires.”

Second stop: Boycott Target!

The march reached its second stop outside a Target store, where Reverend Bryant spoke about the nationwide boycott against the corporation since it ended its DEI programs and goals early this year. The campaign’s efforts have seen Target’s stock drop by $52 per share and the CEO’s salary cut by 42% since the start of the boycott.

Bryant attributed the campaign’s progress to the same unity that helped build the Montgomery Bus Boycott during the Civil Rights movement. Labor unions, teachers and faith leaders all have to work together, he said. “Don’t let nobody turn us around!”

Final stop: We must defeat Trump in the streets!

John Miller, local president of University Professionals of Illinois Local 41 and a member of the American Association of University Professionals, called out the cruel disinvestment in education and all aspects of society orchestrated by Trump and the billionaire ruling class, including Governor Pritzker. Miller emphasized the need for an organized, militant response from the movement.

“All of higher education is under attack,” Miller said. “We’ve filed lawsuits, but we must defeat [Trump] in the streets.”

“We can play defense, or we can go on offense,” said Nico Coronado, chief negotiator for Teamsters 705 in their fight with Mauser. Over 100 members have been on strike since June 9. They are demanding better wages, workplace quality standards as well as protections from immigration enforcement. “We need to organize to bring in more members and have more militancy.”

No Trump, no troops!

In the coming days, an illegal military occupation of communities may come to Chicago as ordered by Donald Trump. The National Guard is being deployed, like in Washington DC, to continue the attacks on working and oppressed people, under the guise of fighting crime.

Chicagoans, in particular Black people and immigrants, have an inalienable democratic right to resist through whatever means of resistance needed. The Coalition Against the Trump Agenda (CATA) is ready to mobilize as soon as troops hit the ground. Follow CATA on social media at coalitionagainsttrumpagenda.org

#ChicagoIL #IL #PeoplesStruggles #Labor #Trump #ImmigrantRights #CATA #AFLCIO #SEIU #CTU

Tacoma, WA – Immigrant justice advocates and organized labor united on August 29 to celebrate Chicano liberation at our local Teamsters Union Hall. After a presentation of Chicano history, a short march was held to unveil a banner with the bilingual message “Stop the deportations!/Alto a las deportaciones!” over Interstate 5.

The event was held by Pierce County Immigration Alliance/La Alianza de Imigracion Condado de Pierce, in collaboration with Freedom Road Socialist Organization. Founded in March 2025, Pierce County Immigration Alliance was created in response to increased attacks on immigrants by ICE in the wake of Donald Trump’s presidential re-election in November 2024.

“I feel as though that the greatest thing that we can do for Chicanos in our community and for immigrants is standing shoulder to shoulder with them and hearing migrant perspectives on what's going on,” said Treveon Parish, an attending community member. “You know, really just going to your local community and safeguarding your community and standing arm in arm with them.”

55 years ago, on August 29, 1970, 30,000 demonstrators marched in East Los Angeles to protest the Vietnam War. The presentation held in celebration of the Chicano Moratorium educated the audience about this event, and talked about the land seizures, Chicano workers’ strikes in the decades leading up to the moratorium, as well as the accomplishments and struggles of Chicano people post-1970.

Armed with knowledge, the crowd then took to the streets with chants such as “Stand up and shut it down! This is a sanctuary town!” “Say it loud and say it clear! Immigrants are welcome here!” and “Power to the people! No one is illegal!” Attendees marched uphill through blackberry bushes to deliver their message to drivers coming home on Interstate 5.

After the event, attendees came away with new knowledge and vigor for fighting against the latest administration’s attacks on immigrants, Chicanos and other groups.

“If you see an ICE agent, make noise. If you see your neighbors taken, don’t let them be taken,” said Moon Gosserand, a general member with Freedom Road Socialist Organization. “These are your neighbors, this is your family. This is your community.”

#TacomaWA #WA #OppressedNationalities #ChicanoMoratorium #Chicanos #ImmigrantRights #PICA

Chicago, IL – On August 31, 200 people protested outside the Broadview ICE facility. The protest was organized by the Immigrant Rights Working Committee of the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (IRWC – CAARPR), which launched a campaign earlier in the summer with aims at closing the Broadview facility.

Kayla Nguyen of the IRWC opened the rally, stating “The so-called Broadview Processing Center has no beds, no showers and no hot meals. They are holding people in there for days. That’s not a processing center, that’s a de-facto detention center. Today we’re protesting to call on State Attorney Eileen Burke and Attorney General Kwame Raoul to launch an investigation into these injustices, uphold the Illinois Trust Act, and close the Broadview facility!”

The Broadview ICE facility has been a key location for federal immigration operations around Chicagoland, and where many kidnapped community members have been taken for processing. Under Illinois law, ICE can operate processing centers for very brief holding times, but is restricted from operating detention centers, including local jails. Many people kidnapped by ICE are taken to such processing centers and then shipped off to another state to await deportation. However, the Broadview facility has been holding people for prolonged periods of time, sometimes up to a week, which has made it into a de-facto detention center.

The Broadview facility lacks beds, meals, kitchen, showers, access to communication and basic dignities for those held there.

“I have seen firsthand the horror within this facility. I have worked within immigrant rights for almost ten years. We have never seen these kinds of conditions in the Chicago area. It’s important that we note them and that we stand against them because we cannot allow this to be our norm,” said Louise Carhart, a lawyer and member of the IRWC.

Carhart continued, “We have laws against detention in Cook County. We have laws against detention in Illinois. We need to enforce our laws and make sure we are showing up for immigrants like Tito Ernie who was released this past week. Tito Ernie was originally detained at the Broadview ICE Facility and at O’Hare. Chicago and Illinois are leaders in this fight and we need to show them why that is.“

Upon arrival, organizers and protesters were met with a significant response from local Broadview police, who eventually closed down the street to block additional traffic due to the amount of people. ICE agents hid inside the building, periodically sending out third party contractor security to pester and provoke those gathered. This protest took place just days after several protesters from an unaffiliated group were arrested for civil disobedience while blocking the entrance of the facility.

Outside the facility, protesters heard from various speakers in the immigrant rights movement, joined in chants to raise their demands, and blocked the entrance of the facility for two hours before departing.

The protest was attended by many people from the community who had heard or seen flyers online or in their neighborhoods, and by many members of endorsing organizations such as the Casa Dupage Worker’s Center, the Arab American Action Network, Tanggol Migrante, and the U.S. Palestinian Community Network.

Readers can take action by calling and emailing the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office and Illinois Attorney General to demand they investigate the Broadview ICE facility and shut it down. An automated message can easily be sent to these elected officials by using the form at: https://www.caarpr.org/irwc#send-letter-to-close-broadview

#ChicagoIL #IL #ImmigrantRights #IRWC #CAARPR #CPWC #AAAN #TanggolMigrante #USPCN