CHICAGO (WLS) — Legal advocates want ICE to stop making arrests outside Cook County courthouses.
They said it’s hurting families, especially in domestic violence situations.
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On Wednesday morning, legal advocates discussed the alarming effects of ICE arrests occurring near Cook County Courthouses since the launch of Operation Midway Blitz.
The Cook County Public Defender’s Office, along with the MacArthur Justice Center, is requesting that the Chief Judge of Cook County, Timothy Evans, stop any arrests near courthouse premises unless a warrant is present.
This includes public entryways, driveways, sidewalks, parking areas, and close transportation points.
This appeal was put forth by social and legal service groups in response to numerous clients voicing strong concerns about ICE’s presence at courthouses.
It’s prevented them from attending court for things, ranging from traffic tickets to seeking a civil order of protection.
“Individuals are refraining from attending court as witnesses,” stated Alexa Van Brunt, who leads the Illinois branch of the MacArthur Justice Center. “People involved in criminal cases are attending court because it’s legally required, only to be arrested on site. Victims are dropping protection orders and abandoning their cases in the domestic violence courthouse we’re discussing today. They’re being cornered into choosing between personal safety and the threat of being detained by ICE and separated from their families.”
ABC7 has reached out to the Circuit Court of Cook County for a response, asking if the chief judge would consider their petition.
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