Naval Station Great Lakes will be used by ICE agents in Chicago deployment, North Chicago mayor says
The mayor of North Chicago said he has heard from officials at Naval Station Great Lakes that it will serve as a base for hundreds of federal agents in the upcoming immigration enforcement crackdown.
Sources familiar with internal planning told CBS News that base has been officially approved by the Department of Defense for immigration enforcement operations.
North Chicago Mayor Leon Rockingham, Jr. said he's been told by base officials that agents' focus will be south, in the city of Chicago, but it's uncertain what the impact might be in and on the surrounding communities.
"Anywhere there's a large Latino population, there's a concern, you know. Are these agents just going to stay focused in Chicago, or are they going to start to come into Lake County?" Rockingham said. "And that's where, as a community, we must remain vigilant."
The mayor said what's been communicated to him by Naval Station Great Lakes officials is to expect about 300 U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents deployed for about a month.
ICE and other federal agents are expected to use the base for planning, training and other activities.
CBS News has also learned from sources familiar with planning that ICE and U.S. Customs and Border Protection have moved equipment into the base and will u se the facility for staging operations.
Mayor Rockingham said the anxiety over immigration enforcement has had a noticeable effect on his community.
"I go to restaurants and they say their numbers are down. The Latino population hasn't been coming to the restaurants or to the stores, as has been in the past, because of their concern of what is getting ready to happen in our community," he said.
In neighboring Waukegan, organizers of the Viva La Independencia Mexican Independence Day Parade sent CBS News Chicago a statement that their parade will still go on as planned on Sept. 14, but people should only attend if they feel safe doing so. Organizers said they respect people's decision to stay home if needed for their wellbeing.
Mayor Rockingham said ICE agents who use Naval Station Great Lakes for operations won't be housed here. Rather, they will stay in hotels in the area.