CHICAGO (WLS) — Questions remain after the announcement that the federal government plans to send military personnel to the Chicago area.
Recent developments have unfolded just days after numerous federal agents carrying arms were spotted conducting patrols in downtown Chicago. On Tuesday morning, these agents were also observed in the South Shore area.
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Governor JB Pritzker and other elected leaders believe the ramped-up immigrant enforcement is meant to intimidate.
This comes as overnight dozens of federal agents could be seen surrounding an apartment building in the city’s South Shore neighborhood.
READ MORE | Legal experts weigh in on federal agents making random stops, what to do if it happens to you
Video shows agents dressed in military gear near 75th Street and South Shore Drive.
One neighbor said he saw two people detained.
“You hear people screaming, loud bangs and popping noises, and there are children outside — it’s uncertain if they’re with their parents or not,” a nearby resident shared. “It’s quite frightening.”
According to an FBI statement, “We can confirm that the FBI was assisting the U.S. Border Patrol in a targeted immigration enforcement mission in the mentioned area earlier today. This initiative, directed by the Attorney General, involves the FBI and other Department of Justice law enforcement partners. For more detailed information, please reach out to the Department of Homeland Security.”
Governor Pritzker denounced the intensified federal law enforcement presence, in a press conference Monday.
RELATED: DHS requests military deployment to Illinois to protect ICE agents, Pritzker says
The governor said the Department of Homeland Security is requesting 100 military personnel be sent to Illinois.
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi is directing agents to protect ICE facilities after a weekend of unrest at the Broadview ICE facility.
Several protestors were arrested and now face charges for allegedly assaulting federal officers.
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