Fourteen individuals, self-identified as 'suburban moms,' were arrested during a Friday morning protest outside the Broadview Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility, according to a report by ABC7 Chicago. The Cook County Sheriff's Office confirmed the arrests but has yet to provide details regarding charges. The protest was to directly challenge what the group calls a "campaign of chaos," referring to the Department of Homeland Security's recent immigration enforcement actions dubbed "Midway Blitz."
In an act to boldly stand against the policies they deem harmful, the group sat in a circle on the road, deliberately blocking traffic as an act of civil disobedience. “It is worse than you can imagine out on the streets right now, and it is because of the federal immigration enforcement we're seeing every day. Our communities are living in abject fear, and it's time for people that look like us to take a stand and put our own physical bodies in front of those bodies, because it is unacceptable," Ellen Toobin, from Oak Park, told ABC7 Chicago in a statement.
The CBS News Chicago reported seeing people handcuffed and walking away from the protest zone. In parallel to the sit-in, about 20 vehicles formed a caravan driving past the intersection of Beech and Lexington, just outside the facility, honking horns and displaying signs with messages such as "hands off Chicago" in solidarity with the protesters.
Apart from the arrests, other groups showed their disapproval through peaceful demonstrations, including a multi-faith prayer service that started around 11 a.m. The continuing public outcry is to truly highlight the fear living within the afflicted communities, with protestors leveraging their demographic's visibility to signal boost these issues. More updates on the arrests and any pending charges are expected to be released later in the afternoon, as indicated by the Sheriff's office in a brief statement.
