Mayor Asks Feds To 'Stop War On Broadview' At ICE Facility

BROADVIEW, IL — Following another incident outside the ICE facility Friday morning, the mayor of Broadview is asking the Department of Homeland Security to intervene. Mayor Katrina R. Thompson sent a letter, shared with Patch, to Russell Hott, field office director for DHS.

"The relentless deployment of tear gas, pepper spray, mace, and rubber bullets in the vicinity of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement processing center in the Village of Broadview is endangering nearby village residents and harming Broadview police officers, Broadview firefighters, and American citizens exercising their 1st Amendment constitutional rights," Thompson said.

As reported by Chicago Sun-Times, ICE agents fired rubber pellets, tear gas and other chemicals Friday at a group of protesters outside the facility being used to process detained immigrants. At least two people were arrested.

Thompson said Broadview police officers being "routinely" exposed to the tear gas are being forced out of action to recover, as well as other public safety employees. She said the tear gas can travel hundreds of feet when launched and can irritate people beyond the intended 200 to 700 foot radius due to factors like wind.

"Beleaguered Broadview residents are begging for relief from your center's siege of our neighborhood," Thompson said. "They are texting me. They are calling me. They are streaming into Village Hall looking for help."

The mayor also said a gate constructed by the agency across Beech Street in front of the facility is illegal and is preventing firefighters access to the area in the case of an emergency. She is asking DHS to remove the fence, saying "deliberate defiance of our local law risks a potential tragedy unfolding."

"In effect, you are making war on my community," Thompson said. "And it has to stop."

A protester was struck by a pickup truck Wednesday night outside the facility. Broadview firefighters administered medical aid to the man, who was then taken to Loyola Hospital, where he remains in stable condition.

Witnesses on the scene said the pickup truck struck the man and continued driving into the parking lot without stopping. A witness provided a video to Broadview police, who say the recording shows the tail end of the incident. In the video, police said a gray pickup truck appears to strike the victim.

"We are treating this incident as we would any other traffic accident where a pedestrian was struck," Broadview police told Patch Thursday.

RELATED: Protester Hit By Truck Near ICE Facility — Police

While surveying the parking lot for a vehicle matching the description provided, police said ICE agents began deploying pepper balls toward protesters.

"The deployment of pepper spray began affecting Broadview officers," police said. "Due to visibility issues and no further identification of a suspect vehicle, we departed the scene without further incident."

A shooter with a rifle opened fire from a nearby roof onto a ICE location in Dallas on Wednesday, killing two detainees and wounding another before taking his own life, authorities said. The attack is the latest public, targeted killing in the U.S. reports The Associated Press.

RELATED: 2 Detainees Killed, Another Critically Injured In Dallas ICE Facility Shooting