Immigrant rights leaders speak out against Trump's policies during Chicago rally, protest
Immigrant rights leaders spoke out against President Trump's immigration policies during a rally Monday morning.
U.S. Rep. Jesus "Chuy" Garcia (D-Illinois) joined leaders from several immigrant rights groups to fight back against what they describe as attacks on their communities.
"What we saw last week and over the weekend wasn't lawful enforcement, it was a belligerent power grab," Garcia said at the rally in Daley Plaza. "ICE raids, people abducted from jobs, from homes, from community spaces, ripping parents apart from their children, kidnapping people, showing up to what they thought was a routine check-in."
He said this is not about safety, "it's about control."
"This is cruelty with intent," Garcia said.
Members of the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, the Arab American Action Network, the Coalition for a Better Chinese American Community, and labor leaders from SEIU will also attended the rally that started at 9 a.m. outside Daley Plaza.
The activists spelled out how those policies have impacted specific groups, including Black immigrants from Africa and the Caribbean islands, and immigrants from China.
SEIU Local 1 President Genie Kastrup brought attention to the ICE arrest of SEIU-SWW President David Huerta. He was arrested during an immigration operation in Los Angeles on Friday.
Kastrup demanded Huerta's release, saying he was "wrongfully detained," as rally participants chanted "Free David."
"David is my brother, he is a fighter, he is a friend," Kastrup said. "He was born here in the United States. He dedicated his life to standing up for working people."
Monday morning, Huerta was charged federally with conspiracy to impede an officer, a felony charge. He is expected to appear in court later this afternoon in an initial appearance on bail or bond.
Over the weekend, the Trump administration deployed the National Guard to Los Angeles in response to large-scale protests following dozens of arrests Friday in citywide Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations.
They highlighted what they consider cruelty by the Trump administration, regarding its deportation policy, attacks on sanctuary cities, and the new travel ban.
"These actions are not about safety. They're not about — they're rooted and controlled and racism and designed to intimidate," Kastrup said, "and I'm here to say we will not be intimidated by your tactics."
Protesters take issue with CPD presence when ICE arrested several people last week
On Monday evening, demonstrators also said Chicago police were out of line last week at a protest against ICE's detention of several people at an immigration supervision program site in the South Loop.
When a clash between immigrants, their loved ones, and ICE agents took place, Chicago police officers responded — and that was where activists said the CPD crossed the line. They claimed the CPD violated the TRUST Act, which prohibits local police from participating in immigration enforcement in Illinois.
On Wednesday of last week, ICE agents spent several hours at the BI Incorporated building at 2245 S. Michigan Ave. The company operates the Intensive Supervision Appearance Program for immigrants, a program that allows ICE to monitor migrants facing immigration proceedings without placing them in custody — sometimes through electronic monitoring.
CBS News Chicago spoke to a number of people impacted by the detentions, and was provided screen shots of messages sent to immigrants asking them to come to the office for a routine appointment about their immigration status. Instead, they left in handcuffs in ICE custody.
Witnesses said at least 10 people were loaded into vans. It was unclear why they were detained.
Protesters spoke out at the protest during the ICE action last week, and again Monday night, against what they saw as Chicago police working with ICE agents. CPD has said officers were on scene to help with crowd control, not assisting ICE.
But the fact that Chicago police officers were on the scene upset a crowd that gathered Monday evening at Chicago Public Safety Headquarters, 3510 S. Michigan Ave.
"There's a still shot of police standing there setting up perimeters," said Rabbi Michael Ben Yosef.
Under the Illinois Trust Act, local law enforcement is not to assist in immigration enforcement.
"So we're here at CPD Headquarters condemning their response, and their assisting ICE agents," said Yosef. "They should have left the scene."
The Chicago Police Department issued this statement Monday evening, reiterating that its officers were not working with ICE.
"The Chicago Police Department responded to the 2200 block of S. Michigan for two calls of assist the police officer, which initiated the emergency response.
"Officers arrived without knowledge of immigration enforcement occurring at the location. CPD spoke with individuals inside a building at the location, as well as the large crowd gathered outside. CPD was on-site to ensure the safety of all involved, including those exercising their First Amendment rights.
"At no point did CPD assist in immigration enforcement. All actions taken by CPD during this incident were in accordance with and the City of Chicago Municipal Code, including the . No arrests were made by CPD and the crowd dispersed without incident."
Supporters of President Trump clashed briefly with demonstrators at CPD headquarters Monday night, saying the president is keeping people safe.
"They're coming here. They're having their way," one counterprotester said. "It's making me feel like I'm an immigrant."
A rally against the South Loop ICE action was also held in Pilsen on Sunday.
Meanwhile during the evening rush Monday, there was also a demonstration on DuSable Lake Shore Drive. The words, "Stop Trump! No Kings!" were displayed in large letters on the Lincoln Park Passerrelle that connects Lincoln Park with the North Avenue Beach.
In Chinatown, the Coalition for a Better Chinese American Community also stood in support of immigrants denouncing mass deportations.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem last week directed ICE agents to ramp up activity targeting immigrants who have overstayed their visas in the U.S.
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker has responded to the deployment of the National Guard in California, calling it an abuse of power. He said governors are the commanders in chief of the National Guard, and deploying the guard without consulting or working with the state's governor is ineffective and dangerous.
