ICE Detains Dozen in Chicago Amidst Protest; Mayor Condemns 'Reckless Escalation'

ICE agents detained more than a dozen people in Chicago's South Loop on Wednesday, sparking a protest from immigrant advocates. The advocates allege that those detained were attending a routine check-in when they were unexpectedly taken into ICE custody. Alderman Andre Vasquez, 40th Ward, stated, "Law-abiding people coming to report, to do the right thing, and they come to meet the government with guns looking to separate families." An ICE spokesperson responded that those arrested had executable final orders of removal and had not complied. Congresswoman Delia Ramirez called the tactics "insidious methods being used by DHS to circumvent the Constitution, undermine due process, and erode the rule of law." The Mayor's office also condemned the incident as a "reckless and dangerous escalation." The incident highlights the ongoing tensions surrounding immigration enforcement in the US.