Leaders warn of safety concerns as clash outside Broadview ICE facility continues

Tear gas billowed through the air outside an ICE facility in suburban Chicago as protestors and federal agents continued to clash Saturday, hours after the Trump administration announced plans to send more federal agents to cities across the country.

Though these protests have taken place for weeks, including on Friday evening, the clashes are seemingly escalating amid a notable increase in the number of federal agents at the area.

Around 7 p.m., NBC Chicago’s Randy Gyllenhaal noted a significant increase in federal agents at the protest outside the Broadview ICE facility, estimating approximately 100 agents in the crowd.

Numerous people were arrested, though the reasons were not immediately known.

Later, around 8:30 p.m., Gyllenhaal reported hearing large booms at the scene and tons of tear gas in the area.

Federal agents came out and ordered the crowd to disperse. As the crowd began to move, significant amounts of gas were deployed, according to NBC Chicago reporters at the scene.

The protests Saturday afternoon and into the evening follow statements from President Trump and U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi warning of plans to send additional federal agents to cities around the country with protests at ICE facilities.

Early Saturday morning, President Trump said that he is directing the U.S. Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, to “provide all necessary Troops to protect War ravaged Portland, and any of our ICE Facilities under siege from attack,” in a post on Truth Social.

“I am also authorizing Full Force, if necessary,” the president said.

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said Saturday that she is sending more federal troops to ICE facilities around the country, with a strong message to protestors.

“If you so much as touch one of our federal officers, you will go to prison,” she said.

Though NBC Chicago reporters at the scene said was a notably heavier presence of federal agents in Broadview Saturday afternoon and into the evening, the Village of Broadview said there has been “no communication” from the U.S. Department of Justice to the village or local police “about the potential deployment of additional federal agents to its Immigration Control and Enforcement facility in Broadview.”

“We would urge restraint by the DOJ rather than confrontation,” the village added.

In a separate letter sent by the Village of Broadview Saturday morning, it is revealed that ICE agents told local police that there will be a “sh*t show” in Broadview that day.

“ICE agents told BFD [Broadview Fire Department] that they will be launching enforcement action throughout all of Broadview throughout the day,” the village said in the letter.

ICE also told area police that their agents will be “again deploying chemical arms, such as tear gas, pepper spray, etc. against American citizens, our residents, and our first responders,” the village’s letter said.

“Let’s be clear,” the letter said, “ICE is seeking to intimidate the Village of Broadview because we dared exercise our 1st Amendment constitutional rights calling for an end to their war on Broadview. We will not be intimidated.”

What are local leaders saying?

Evanston Mayor Daniel Bliss, Illinois State Senator Robert Peters and Chicago Alderman Andre Vasquez, all who have attended protests at Broadview recently, issued a joint statement Saturday evening urging caution as tensions escalated at outside the ICE facility.

“We feel an urgency and responsibility to share our extreme concern about escalating language and actions by ICE and DHS toward protesters. We have made the decision to not participate in tonight’s protest,” the statement said. “We would highly encourage people to consider the high risk that we believe exists in attending tonight’s action and future actions at Broadview.”

The statement directly addressed a video released by U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi on Friday, in which she states she plans to pursue federal charges against protesters.

The leaders also warned of physical safety risks for protesters in Broadview.

“ICE has escalated their use of tear gas, pepper rounds, and rubber bullets, shooting protesters and members of the press in the face without provocation on numerous occasions,” the statement said. “ICE agents at Broadview have also unholstered their guns repeatedly, pointing machine and hand guns directly at protesters.”

The statement also references the recent death of Silverio Villegas Gonzalez, who was killed during an ICE operation in Franklin Park.

“ICE is willing to use lethal force,” the statement said.

Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker also issued statements Saturday addressing the Trump administration’s plans to send more federal agents to Chicago and other cities, and the ongoing protests in Broadview.

“Donald Trump is using federal agents to stoke fear and violate constitutional rights,” Pritzker said. “It’s unlawful and un-American. We must stand up and speak out against fanning the flames of violence.”

Later, Pritzker addressed the ongoing protests in Broadview, saying the state is closely monitoring federal deployments to the area.

Pritzker also addressed Bondi’s plans to send more federal troops to Chicago and other cities.

“Whether it be in Broadview here in Illinois or in Portland, Oregon, the Trump Administration is intentionally creating chaos to threaten sending military troops to American cities and suburbs,” he said.

Pritzker ended his statement by urging people at the scene to document the events by taking photos and videos.

“By observing and recording peacefully, we can ensure that any violations of the law are brought to light and those responsible are held accountable,” he said.

Illinois Lieutenant Governor Julianna Stratton said she stands firmly with Pritzker “behind every Illinoisian’s constitutional right to protest peacefully without fear of violence and intimidation.”

“The escalating actions by federal authorities in Broadview are nothing less than an assault on our rights and freedoms — Illinois refuses to accept this as the new normal,” Stratton said in a statement.

Congressional candidate in Illinois’ Ninth District Kat Abughazaleh, who has attended the Broadview protests last week and was thrown to the ground by federal agents, said on social media she would not attend the protests Saturday due to safety concerns.

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