With increased immigration enforcement slated to begin in Chicago this week, Evanston’s Human Services Committee considered a resolution urging Congress to ban federal law enforcement agents from wearing masks.
“Their faces are being hidden behind these masks. We need people to identify themselves, there is no, actually no good reason, especially if you believe you as a federal agent are acting within the law,” said Ald. Parielle Davis of Evanston’s 7th Ward.
On Tuesday, Evanston advanced the measure out of the committee to the full city council. Meanwhile, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker said his office believes staging for ramped up federal enforcement in the Chicago area has already begun. Setup has gotten underway at Naval Station Great Lakes, which is expected to provide support to federal agents in the form of office space and a command center, local officials told NBC Chicago.
The federal takeover of Chicago streets could be days away, according to the White House as well as state and city leaders. NBC Chicago’s Political Reporter Mary Ann Ahern reports.
Pritzker has warned that “unidentifiable agents in unmarked vehicles with masks are planning to raid Latino communities and say they’re targeting violent criminals,” while noting that timing of such a deployment could be intentional.
“We have reason to believe that Stephen Miller chose the month of September to come to Chicago because of celebrations around Mexican Independence Day that happen here every year,” the governor said. “It breaks my heart to report that we have been told ICE will try and disrupt community picnics and peaceful parades. Let’s be clear: the terror and cruelty is the point, not the safety of anyone living here.”
The comments came just hours after Pritzker confirmed to NBC Chicago’s Mary Ann Ahern that ICE agents will be conducting enhanced immigration enforcement operations in the city in coming days.
At a news conference on Monday, Illinois officials said they’ll fight in court if the National Guard is federalized.
“And we will not hesitate to take action to protect our residents if this administration breaks the law or violates the constitution,” Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul said.
NBC 5 Investigates has learned the Border Patrol section chief who led ICE enforcement in Los Angeles, Greg Bovino, was sent to Chicago. A federal judge ruled on Tuesday President Trump’s administration violated federal law in the use of National Guard troops during Southern California immigration enforcement operations.
In Chicago on Tuesday, former National Guard members held a rally, urging troops to follow the constitution.
“Whenever a service member is given an illegal order they have the right and duty to refuse that order,” one rallygoer stated.