CHICAGO (WLS) — Federal immigration agents have been seen in downtown Chicago on Sunday afternoon.
Chopper 7 was over the Loop and River North areas, where groups of federal agents could bee seen walking around.
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The agents encountered protesters chanting, “ICE go home,” at times.
A Border Patrol boat was seen in the Chicago River around 2 p.m.
Chopper 7 was over a Border Patrol boat in the Chicago River on Sunday afternoon.
Whether agents have made any arrests in the downtown area on Sunday was not immediately clear.
Broadview police investigating alleged attack on reporter near ICE facility
Chopper 7 later headed over to Broadview, where a handful of protestors were spotted in front of the Broadview Immigration and Customs Enforcement office.
On Sunday, Broadview Police Chief Thomas Mills made an announcement stating that his team is looking into claims that a CBS Chicago reporter was hit with a “chemical munition” near that ICE location.
Chief Mills stated, “The Broadview Police Department has initiated a criminal inquiry into reports of an unprovoked assault on a CBS Chicago TV journalist’s vehicle, involving a chemical weapon believed to have been fired from the area of the U.S. Immigration Customs and Enforcement detention center. The journalist turned down medical help. Our department anticipates full collaboration with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security as we conduct this investigation.”
Protests outside the Broadview ICE facility have been happening for several days.
Protesters rally against immigration enforcement
At the same time, Indivisible Chicago Alliance, a community group committed to opposing the Trump administration’s actions in Chicago and beyond, organized several gatherings in the city on Sunday.
Prior to the day’s major events downtown, multiple individuals gathered across the city’s North and Northwest areas to participate in what has been termed a day of action.
Demonstrator Geri Kahn stated, “We believe it’s crucial to demonstrate that the majority of us do not support Trump’s initiatives. We oppose ICE and the increasing militarization within our cities.”
Protesters, many of them members of Indivisible Chicago, fanned out from Irving Park and Lake Shore Drive in Buena Park to Welles Park in North Center, taking heart from the support of passing motorists.
“We want to make a big statement that the American people, the majority of the American people, are not with the Trump administration,” said protester John Bachtell.
In Humboldt Park, people also came out, but there, their purpose was different. Their eyes were firmly focused on getting people to the ballot box.
“Our actions for today are writing postcards to voters in Virginia to remind them to get out and vote because they have a really important Supreme Court election coming up,” said Kristen Vandawalker with Indivisible Chicago Northwest.
It is an effort to encourage political action from those who might feel their impact, in what is already a blue state, is limited.
sometimes people feel like they can only take so much action or have so much impact within the state so it’s good to have, hey there is something really important happening in Pennsylvania we can help with or Virginia or whatever,” said Jessica Jorsch with Indivisible Chicago Northwest.
Sunday’s actions are all a prelude to what is expected to be a large-scale No Kings protest coming up three weeks from now on Saturday, Oct. 18 in Grant Park.
This is a developing story. Check back with ABC7 for updates.
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