Rep. Kelly Visits ICE Facility in Broadview, Shares Concerns about Facility Conditions

Sep

2025

In the News

Rep. Kelly Visits ICE Facility in Broadview, Shares Concerns about Facility Conditions

THE BUZZ

WHILE THE THREAT of the National Guard coming to Chicago looms, federal immigration enforcement is real.

Clashes erupted Friday outside the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Broadview, where agents used pepper spray, flash bangs and pepper balls on protesters, including on congressional candidates who oppose President Donald Trump’s deportation policies.

The pushback: Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss and Skokie school board member Bushra Amiwala were pepper sprayed, and activist Kat Abughazaleh was shoved by federal agents. They are all candidates in the IL-09 congressional race and documented the confrontations on their social media accounts.

“It was terrifying. They’re trying to intimidate us,” Biss said on X.

Congresswoman Robin Kelly, who’s running for U.S. Senate also visited the facility and posted a video showing the boarded up facility and her concerns that lawmakers aren’t being allowed to observe what’s going on inside.

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson weighed in on the larger implications of the moment. “You can’t have a democracy if the people of this country cannot be permitted the authority to peacefully assemble and to petition its government,” Johnson said at an unrelated press event, via the Block Club.

By Shia Kapos