Immigration advocates,picketing Teamsters and social media accounts reported sightings of Border Patrol agents and possible arrests in Cicero and Chicago’s Southwest Side Tuesday morning.
Videos showing uniformed, masked men driving unmarked vehicles began circulating online. One arrest appeared to take place in a Walmart parking lot in Cicero, according to the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and refugee Rights and a video posted to social media.
“As (Cmdr. Gregory) Bovino was leaving Illinois a month ago, the governance made it clear that they would bring their violence back to our communities. ICE’s deportation campaign has not stopped, and we have received multiple confirmed abductions this morning in Cicero and the Southwest Side of Chicago,” said ICIRR spokesman Brandon Lee.
“We ask residents across Chicago and the suburbs to remain vigilant, look out for your neighbors, and call the Family Support Hotline,” he said.
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The agents also targeted a Teamsters picket line near Midway International Airport Tuesday morning, according to a representative for the union.
Nico Coronado, an attorney for Teamsters Local 705, said Border Patrol agents showed up to the picket line at 5507 S. Archer Ave. and asked workers for identification.Coronado said he did not believe any workers were detained.
the picketing teamsters – most of whom are Latino, and many of whom are immigrants – used to work for Oak Brook-based Mauser Packaging solutions at a plant in Little Village. they first went on strike in June, seeking, amongst other demands, an agreement from the company that it would not allow federal immigration agents onto company property without a signed judicial warrant.
The Teamsters said Mauser never agreed to provide those protections. And months into the strike this fall,Mauser said it was planning to close the little Village plant citing a “range of operational challenges.” Coronado said Mauser had shifted some of its work to the Archer Avenue location, which is why workers are picketing there.
A representative for Mauser did not promptly respond to a request for comment Tuesday morning.
Rapid responders began circulating rumors Monday that a surge in Border Patrol agents would return to Chicago this week.
In an email statement to the Tribune late Monday afternoon, a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson said, “For operational security purposes, CBP will not discuss ongoing or future operations.”
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