(Chicago) Assaulting an apartment building per helicopter while families were sleeping. Deployment of chemical agents near a public school. Menottage of a municipal councilor in Chicago in a hospital.
Activists, inhabitants and leaders claim that the increasingly aggressive tactics of federal immigration agents are raising violence and stirring tensions in the neighborhoods of the third largest city in the country.
“They are the ones who transform the city into a war zone,” the governor of Illinois, JB Pritzker, on CNN on Sunday. “They draw tear gas and smoke bombs, and they give the impression that it is an area of war. »»
More than 1000 people have been arrested since the start of the repression of immigration last month in the Chicago region. The Trump administration has also promised to deploy national guard troops as part of its program to accelerate expulsions.
But American citizens, immigrants in regular situations and children are among those arrested during increasingly daring and aggressive clashes that occur daily in the districts of this city of 2.7 million inhabitants and its many suburbs.
Helicopter operation
Photo Anthony Vazquez, Associated Press
Activists, inhabitants and leaders claim that the increasingly aggressive tactics of federal immigration agents are raising violence and stirring tensions in the districts of Chicago.
Activists and residents took stock Sunday in a South Side building in Chicago, where, according to the Department of Homeland Security, 37 immigrants were recently arrested during an operation.
If federal agents mainly focused on districts with a large population of immigrants and Latinos, the operation took place early Tuesday in the mainly black district of South Shore, which experienced a slight influx of migrants in search of asylum.
The agents used trivialized trucks and a helicopter to surround the five -story building, according to videos of witnesses and newsnation, invited to observe the operation. The media reported that the agents “have made a reminder from Black Hawk helicopters”.
The agents then did door-to-door, awakened residents and used tightening necklaces to control them, including parents and children, according to residents and the Illinois coalition for immigrant rights and refugees (ICIRR), which traveled the sector.
Rodrick Johnson was one of the many briefly detained American citizens. He said agents forced his door and attached it to tightening necklaces. “I asked if they had a mandate and asked for a lawyer,” the 67 -year -old said to Chicago Sun-Totes. “They never brought one. »»
Dixon Romero, from Southsoid Together, an organization that also helps residents, said that doors had been torn off from their hinges.
“Not all the people we spoke of did not feel safe,” he said. “It is not normal. It is not acceptable. It’s not fair. »»
Mr. Pritzker, a democrat who has been in office for two mandates, asked the state agencies to investigate the allegations that children were attached with tightening necklaces and detainees separately from their parents, claiming that “military type tactics” should not be used against children.
DHS officials declared targeting links with the Gang Tren of Aragua. Without providing details on the arrests or the treatment reserved for children, the DHS said that “some of the targeted individuals are involved in trafficking and drug distribution, arms -related offenses and offenses to immigration laws”.
Agency officials did not respond to the message left on Sunday.
Tear gas and smoke
Photo Jim Vondruska, Reuters
The demonstrations have become tense, with almost daily arrests.
At the same time, the use of chemical agents has become more frequent and visible last week. Initially used to manage the demonstrators, the agents used them this week in the streets of the city and during immigration operations, according to the ICIRR.
An emergency line to report the presence of immigration agents exceeded 800 calls on Friday, the same day that activists said that agents had thrown a chemical bomb near a school in the Logan Square district. The activity in the northwest district prompted the neighboring primary school of Funston to organize a recreation inside.
The same day, the municipal councilor of Chicago, Jessie Fuentes, was handcuffed to the hospital. She said she asked agents to present an arrest warrant against a person who had broken her leg when he was prosecuted by ICE agents.
“The ICE behaved as an invasion army in our neighborhoods,” said Democratic representative Lilian Jiménez. “Helicopters flew over our homes, terrifying families and disturbing the peace of our community. These shameful and illegal acts constitute not only a violation of constitutional rights, but also of our most fundamental freedom: the right to live in the shelter of persecution and fear. »»
The secretary of the Department of Internal Security, Kristi Noem, defended these aggressive tactics, qualifying the mission of the mission agents of periloususe and alleging threats to the lives of officers.
In justice
Photo Jim Vondruska, Reuters
More than 1000 people have been arrested since the start of the repression of immigration last month in the Chicago region.
The leaders of a suburbs of Chicago housing an immigration processing center paid their fight against federal agents before the courts.
The village of BroadView has become a front line in immigration operations. This center, located in this community of 8000 inhabitants, is the place where immigrants are treated for their detention or expulsion.
Exterior demonstrations have become tense, with almost daily arrests. Civil rights organizations have denounced the aggressive tactics of agents, while local authorities have opened three distinct criminal investigations against federal agents.
