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With the current crackdowns by ICE, many immigrants and their families have been living in fear. People worry that a loved one, a neighbor, or even a friend could be the next to face detention and deportation. Some have taken to the streets to protest, while others share their stories online, even at the risk of arrest. In fact, one Chicago-area protester recently documented her arrest outside of an ICE facility in Broadview, Illinois. She described how routine deportations happen away from city limits and how she felt compelled to take action.
In her video, the woman explained that Illinois law prohibits the use of state and local facilities for ICE detention, yet operations continue at 1930 Beach Street in Broadview. “Come with me to get arrested outside of 1930 Beach Street in Broadview, a Chicago suburb where ICE is illegally detaining and deporting our neighbors,” she said, adding that every Friday morning from 7 to 9 a.m., immigrants are loaded into vans and transported out of state for deportation.
More on What She Said
The woman described the site as a staging ground that tries to avoid classification as a detention center by denying people basic necessities like beds or hygiene products. According to her, some have been held for days, and even members of Congress have been refused entry. “You can literally hear the chains that ICE locked onto them drag on the ground as they walk,” she recalled, saying that sound will stay with her forever.
The protester added that while demonstrations within Chicago had pushed ICE out of the city, enforcement shifted to Broadview where local police cooperate. On the morning of her arrest, she sat down in front of the gates as vans prepared to leave. Officers ordered her to move, and when she refused, she and two others were detained. A pastor who attempted to pray for the detainees was initially left alone but later dragged away.
She admitted that posting about an arrest while citations are pending isn’t standard practice, but said it felt necessary with her platform. “It feels impossible to know what to do, but I know the right answer cannot be to do nothing,” she said. The activist also encouraged others to find their own ways to act, whether that meant direct protest, legal support, or calling elected officials.
Netizens React to Chicago Immigration Protester’s Arrest
Many people in the comments are praising her bravery. “This is what resistance looks like,” one netizen declared. “You inspire me and I hope you inspire others who can take action,” a second commented. A third wrote, “I already thought you were cool. This makes me like you even more..” Viewers also connected her protest to the need for accountability. “Keep documenting 💔🤬 ‘just following orders’ is not an excuse,” one person said. A Guatemalan law school graduate called her a hero, writing, “Seeing you advocate for my community is beyond words incredible. Thank you for calling it what it is, these are concentration camps!”
Others criticized ICE’s tactics, noting how agents tried to hide their identities. “If they feel so comfortable in what they’re doing why do they keep hiding their faces,” one comment read. Another asked, “Are we allowed to know the names of those agents hiding their faces with non-uniform bandannas that look like gang paraphernalia?” One viewer said, “Chain and lock their gates so they can’t get out either.”
