Law enforcement arrested nearly a dozen protesters during a tense demonstration outside an ICE facility in Broadview, Illinois, on Friday, as some attempted to breach security barriers and caused multiple officer injuries. The protest, which targeted ICE’s immigration enforcement efforts, saw local authorities confine demonstrators to designated areas but failed to prevent violent confrontations.
Twenty-one protesters were detained, with four officers injured, including two police officers, one state trooper, and a Cook County sheriff’s deputy, according to local reports. The crowd, estimated at 200-300 participants, engaged in chants of “Who do you protect? Who do you serve?” as skirmishes broke out between demonstrators and law enforcement.
Broadview Mayor Katrina Thompson criticized the protesters for choosing violence over peaceful expression, stating, “They have chosen their fists. These out-of-towners have chosen to brutalize police officers who have been protecting their free speech and protecting them against assaults by ICE agents.” She emphasized that the protesters would face legal consequences.
Border czar Tom Homan addressed the situation, noting, “When they put hands on law enforcement officers, they’re getting arrested and going to jail,” he said. “You have a right to protest, but don’t cross the line.” The demonstration marked the largest in recent weeks, with counter-protesters also present.
The incident followed repeated protests outside the facility since the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown, with activists regularly gathering to oppose ICE’s enforcement actions.
