CHICAGO (AP) — Latino leaders expressed their outrage this Saturday over a series of recent immigration enforcement operations in Chicago. These operations led to a tragic fatal shooting during a traffic stop, the arrest of an immigrant at a local barbershop, and escalated tensions between protesters and ICE agents near immigrant processing centers.
During an incident on Friday, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer fatally shot Silverio Villegas-Gonzalez, who allegedly attempted to evade arrest by driving his car directly at the officers and injuring one of them. Villegas-Gonzalez was later pronounced dead at a hospital.
In a separate incident, immigrant Willian Gimenez was detained by ICE agents while driving in the Little Village neighborhood, which is heavily populated by Latino families. Gimenez's lawyer claimed this arrest was retaliation for his previous legal battles against various entities, including the Chicago government and police officers regarding treatment of immigrant workers.
ICE confirmed that Gimenez was apprehended for being in the U.S. illegally, despite his ongoing asylum claim and a work permit.
Rep. Chuy Garcia voiced deep concerns during a press conference, stating, If ICE can kill one of our neighbors in broad daylight … if they can arrest someone for joining a lawsuit or simply for being Latino, what’s to stop them from getting any one of us? These actions have incited fierce protests outside ICE facilities, with demonstrators calling for justice and an end to aggressive enforcement tactics.
The Department of Homeland Security characterized its recent immigration campaign, named Operation Midway Blitz, as a necessary measure to dismantle sanctuary policies in Illinois. However, opponents assert that such operations disproportionately target communities already living in fear.
California Governor JB Pritzker has denounced these ICE operations, emphasizing the threats they pose to immigrant rights. The current climate, exacerbated by tensions surrounding the upcoming Mexican Independence Day celebrations, has raised fears in many immigrant-rich neighborhoods.
Following the fatal incidents, Rep. Delia Ramirez pledged to demand a thorough investigation and reiterated the call for unity among community members.
