Palatine residents complain businesses hurt, neighbors afraid due to immigration enforcement

Several Palatine residents complained many local businesses are struggling and neighbors are living in fear following federal immigration enforcement activities last year.

The comments came at Monday’s village council meeting after police officials had wrapped a presentation on the department’s Community Engagement and Planning division, which has been operating for a year now.

Resident Jennie Lussow told of a worker at a local restaurant who had been followed by federal agents, pulled out of his car and thrown to the ground at gunpoint in view of his wife and daughter. After agents determined he was a citizen, they left.

“Could he have called the police?” she asked.

“Yes, 100%, we encourage people to call police,” Deputy Police Chief David Brandwein said. “We want people feeling comfortable. We want people to trust the police department. All I can tell you is we will do the best that we can, given these unprecedented times, to provide what support we can to our residents, to our neighbors.”

Palatine, like many suburban communities, was targeted by federal immigration officials late last year as part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s crackdown on undocumented residents.

Palatine police and village leaders came under fire from residents in October after video showed a police officer assisting immigration agents arrest a man in a strip mall parking lot. Police officials said the officer only intervened because he was afraid agents were going to hurt the man. Immigrant advocates saw the officer’s action as a breach of the state’s TRUST Act, which prohibits police from assisting federal agents in most immigration actions.

Brandwein said if an officer responds to a 911 call and finds it involves immigration enforcement, a supervisor or a designee will try to obtain the names of federal agents and anyone detained and submit a report to Brandwein, who will work with Partners for Our Communities to connect family members or loved ones with resources.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents often targeted Hispanic businesses, particularly restaurants, as part of their enforcement campaign.

Several speakers showed up on behalf of business owners reporting sharp drops in customers.

Dayna Prochaska, speaking on behalf of the owner of Botanica Las Adas at 1208 E. Dundee Road, said, “His business sales are going down significantly whenever ICE is present. His customers are afraid and stay home.”

Another restaurant reported sales had declined by more than 60%.

Police Chief William Nord told the council the department’s new engagement division is attempting to bridge any divides between the agency and the community.

The division was created to enhance neighborhood-based policing and officers attended more than 100 community events in the past year as part of that effort. They are developing partnerships with several local groups as well through the use of social workers, grants to hire extra officers and beat meetings for residents.

Brandwein said two social workers handled 411 referrals in 2025, working with crime victims and older people with dementia, among others.