Community leaders speak out on ICE activity in Will County

Community advocates and elected officials gathered Wednesday in Joliet for a news conference that doubled as a rally for immigrants, one day after the Texas National Guard arrived in Will County.

The Texas National Guard, now stationed at the U.S. Army Reserve Center in Elwood, was mentioned only once by the six speakers at the event held in the heart of Joliet’s Hispanic community.

“When I learned that the National Guard from Texas are staging in Elwood, I felt anger … and heartbreak because we know what that means,” said Will County Board member Destinee Ortiz, a Romeoville Democrat. “We know what happens when our government treats its people like a threat instead of human beings.”

So far, it’s unknown how the Texas National Guard will be used, said Marcos Ceniceros of the Will County Rapid Response Network, which organized the press conference.

“It’s unclear what they will do here,” Ceniceros said after the news conference ended. “Is it to protect people, or is it to protect ICE?”

He said organizers do not want attention to be diverted from actions taken by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents as they round up immigrants for deportation.

“We know that people have questions about the National Guard,” Ceniceros said. “We want to focus on the tactics that ICE is using.”

During his comments at the event, Joliet Township Supervisor Cesar Guerrero described certain ICE traffic stops.

“Our people have had their vehicles rammed, their windows smashed, and guns drawn on them,” Guerrero said.

The event was outside the Azteca de Oro banquet facility, where manager Ivette Nunez had ICE agents removed from the parking lot last week.

Guerrero gave recognition to Nunez during his comments, adding, “I implore our public officials to behave likewise and refuse to allow ICE onto our public spaces.”

The elected officials at the event were Democrats.

They included Will County Board member Sherry Williams of Crest Hill and state Rep. Dagmara Avelar, the assistant majority leader in the House.

“We gather not out of anger but out of love — love for our families, love for our neighbors,” Avelar said.

The event included the presentation of phone numbers to call and organizations to turn to for advice on what rights immigrants have when confronted by ICE.