CHICAGO — A coalition of immigrant rights advocates, community organizations, and political leaders gathered Monday morning in Daley Plaza to condemn what they described as cruel and unconstitutional immigration enforcement under President Trump’s administration.
Rep. Chuy Garcia: ‘This is cruelty with intent’
Congressman Jesús “Chuy” Garcia, flanked by local leaders, denounced recent Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations that he said “ripped parents from their children” and abducted community members from homes and workplaces.
“What we saw last week and over the weekend wasn’t lawful enforcement,” Garcia said. “It was a belligerent power grab… This is not about safety — it’s about control.”
Garcia’s remarks echoed a broader concern voiced throughout the rally — that ICE operations were intentionally sowing fear in immigrant communities across the country.
Rally Participants: From Chicago to Los Angeles
Several local advocacy groups joined the rally, including:
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Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights
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Arab American Action Network
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Coalition for a Better Chinese American Community
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Service Employees International Union (SEIU)
Labor leaders highlighted the recent arrest of David Huerta, president of SEIU-SWW, who was detained during an ICE operation in Los Angeles. SEIU Local 1 President Genie Kastrup led a passionate chant of “Free David” and called the arrest unlawful.
“David is my brother, he is a fighter, he is a friend,” Kastrup said. “He dedicated his life to standing up for working people.”
According to rally organizers, National Guard troops were deployed in Los Angeles in response to large-scale protests that erupted following dozens of arrests during ICE operations there on Friday.
Criticism of Deportation Tactics, Sanctuary Attacks
Organizers in Chicago pointed to what they called an escalating assault on immigrants through:
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Expanded deportation orders
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Targeting of sanctuary cities
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A controversial new travel ban impacting nationals from 12 countries
The event followed a Sunday protest in Pilsen, where residents rallied against ICE’s detention of individuals during check-ins at a South Loop immigration supervision site. Witnesses reported at least 10 people being loaded into vans. CPD clarified that their presence was for crowd control only, not enforcement.
“ICE raids are traumatizing communities,” said one speaker from the Arab American Action Network. “Chicago should be a sanctuary — not a battleground.”
Federal Directives Escalate Enforcement
The rally came just days after Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem directed ICE to ramp up operations, specifically targeting visa overstays and undocumented individuals in sanctuary jurisdictions. That directive has sparked protests from coast to coast and prompted emergency responses from civil rights groups.
Were these actions lawful immigration enforcement or an overreach of federal power? Share your thoughts with us in the comments on ChicagoSuburbanFamily.com.
