Below is a statement from 12th Ward Alderwoman Julia Ramirez after joining rapid responders and community members in response to federal immigration enforcement activity in the 12th Ward on the first day of school:
“On the first day of school, when our children should be focused on seeing their friends, meeting their teachers and starting a new year, ICE agents once again targeted our community. Shame on ICE for deliberately bringing this fear and chaos into our communities on a day that should be about our children.
“Six people were detained today and taken from our community. Six people whose families are now left to deal with the impacts of a violent immigration system, whose children won’t see them when they come home from the first day of school.
“ICE’s reckless and aggressive driving led to a crash on I-55 and endangered other drivers and our community as a whole. This follows a disturbing pattern we have witnessed since Operation Midway Blitz of federal agents using aggressive tactics with no regard for the safety of our communities.
“I joined rapid responders and community members on the ground today to help mobilize to protect our neighbors. Together, we confronted ICE agents and pushed them out of the 12th Ward. Our rapid responders have been on the front lines of protecting our immigrant families, and I will continue fighting alongside them whenever ICE comes into our community.
“We have also seen an ongoing pattern of ICE activity at and around the Home Depot at 47th and Western. Home Depot benefits from the business and labor of immigrant communities, yet this location continues to be a recurring site for immigration enforcement. Home Depot continues to be complicit in the terror that ICE brings to our communities, just as they were during Operation Midway Blitz. The company cannot simply look the other way. Home Depot has a responsibility to make clear that it will not facilitate immigration enforcement on its property and to take meaningful steps to protect workers, customers and community members.
“We will not allow ICE to terrorize our families and make fear a normal part of life in our neighborhoods. Every time they come into our community, we will organize, fight and protect one another. ICE is not welcome in the 12th Ward.”
If you see any potential ICE activity or know someone who has been detained or needs to be connected to resources, call the Family Support Network Hotline at 1-855-435-7693.
