The helicopter hovered, law enforcement officers slid down to the roof of the apartment building, suddenly knocked open the door, and residents woke up from their dreams... This is not a scene from a Hollywood action movie, but a real scene when federal immigration law enforcement officers launched an operation in Chicago. Many similar aggressive law enforcement actions have attracted widespread protests, and Illinois agencies have launched an investigation into the matter.
Chicago is the largest city in the state of Illinois and the third largest city in the United States. Over the past month, federal law enforcement officers have been ordered to fight illegal immigration and have arrested more than 1,000 people so far.
The American "News Nation" TV channel said that a raid in an African-American neighborhood in Chicago in the early morning of September 30th was the epitome of recent violent law enforcement actions:Helicopters and trucks surrounded a five-story apartment building. Federal law enforcement officers slid down from hovering Black Hawk helicopters to the roof of the building, door-to-door to wake up residents. Regardless of men, women and children, they first tied their wrists with cable ties, and then screened them. A total of 37 people were arrested.
Resident Roderick Johnson, 67, recalled in an interview with Chicago media that federal law enforcement officers broke in. Although he was a U.S. citizen, he was once detained.
Pritzker, the governor of *, Ill., has instructed relevant agencies in the state to investigate allegations that children are bound by cable ties and forced to be detained separately from their parents.In an interview with CNN on the 5th of this month, he bluntly stated that federal law enforcement actions had turned Chicago into a war zone.On the same day, several Democratic lawmakers in the state's parliament held a protest in the incident's residential district, demanding that similar law enforcement actions be stopped as soon as possible.
In addition, the Illinois Immigrant Rights Organization accused federal law enforcement officers of using tear gas, smoke bombs, etc. more frequently in their operations recently, and did not care about the existence of sensitive facilities around them. According to reports, federal law enforcement officers used tear gas and smoke bombs during law enforcement in a residential area in northwest Chicago on the 3rd. Students in a nearby primary school could only stay indoors during recess.
Since President Trump returned to the White House in January, the Department of Homeland Security has authorized the Immigration and Customs Enforcement to track, detain and return illegal immigrants across the United States.On the 4th of this month, Trump authorized the deployment of 300 National Guard members in Illinois to “protect” federal officials and assets in the city of Chicago.
On October 6, local time, Illinois, USA, filed a lawsuit, trying to prevent U.S. President Trump from deploying the National Guard to Chicago.
It is that the state of Illinois has sued the Trump administration for the U.S. government’s plans to deploy the National Guard in the Chicago area. The lawsuit was brought by the states of Illinois and Chicago, accusing Trump of trying to use the National Guard to “punish its political enemies.”
Previously reported:
American Homeland SecurityMinistryIn the Chicago suburbsBorrow the toiletRejected, condemned governor
According to Fox News Network, Secretary of Homeland Security Noam said on Friday that she and staff in the suburbs of Chicago attempted to enter a government building shortly after being rejected.
Norma wrote on social media platform X, “Just in Illinois, my team and I were blocked from entering Broadway City Hall and we just wanted to get into the next toilet quickly.”
She criticized the attitude of Illinois Governor Pritzker's administration towards federal law enforcement officers. "This is a public building, and Broadview can get at least $1 million in federal funds every year. It's a shame that Pritzker and his people treat our law enforcement officers like this."
A live video showed Nome and his staff approaching the building when an entourage asked through the door: "Can we use your bathroom?" Someone inside the door responded: "No!" Norm then replied calmly: "Okay, thank you." Then he turned around and left.
Broadway officials said Norman had visited without notice on Friday morning and hoped to meet with Broadway Mayor Catherine Thompson, who was not in the town hall at the time.
“Mayor Thompson then went to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Center accompanied by the Broadway Police Director and several police officers to request the removal of the illegal fence.
However, Homeland Security officials insisted that the stay had nothing to do with any meetings.
Tricia McLaughlin, Assistant Secretary of Public Affairs at the Department of Homeland Security, told Fox News: "She didn't ask for a meeting at all, she just wanted to use the bathroom. This is ridiculous."
When the “toilet wave” occurred, the situation outside the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) handling center in Broadway became tense. On the same day, federal agents arrested more than a dozen protesters during the demonstration. Fox journalist saw on the scene that law enforcement officers fired pepper bullets, tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse the crowd that obstructed federal action.
Source: China International Headlines, Global Times, Central TV News