Broadview mayor signs order limiting protest times outside ICE facility
Broadview Mayor Katrina Thompson on Monday announced an executive order setting fixed protest hours outside the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement processing center in the village in Chicago's west suburbs.
Thompson's order limits protests outside the ICE facility at 1930 Beach Street and the designated protest area at 2000 S. 25th Av. to between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. daily.
According to the order, the mayor decided to set a limit on protest times "due to the recent escalation of violence by ICE" outside the facility, including "needlessly deploying tear gas, pepper spray, mace, and rubber bullets at individuals and reporters, thereby injuring Village residents, Village police officers, and Village firefighters."
The mayor said the order is needed to balance the constitutional rights of protesters with the needs of Broadview residents and businesses.
"People have to go to work, they have to get their children ready for school, our businesses have to serve their customers, and our residents with developmental disabilities, who have sensory issues, have suffered emotional meltdowns because of the chaotic environment when protests get disruptive," said Thompson. "I have repeatedly said that I intend to defend the protesters' constitutionally protected free speech rights. I support their cause. But the repeated clashes with ICE agents in our town are causing enormous disruptions in the quality of life for my residents whose rights I have taken an oath to protect. We live here. Our residents live here and deserve dignity and respect."
CBS News Chicago legal analyst Irv Miller predicted, if the mayor's order faces a court challenge, it would be ruled unconstitutional.
"The First Amendment doesn't say it can only be done during business hours, and I think that that order will be struck down by a judge somewhere along the line, because it's clearly unconstitutional," he said.
Protests outside the ICE facility have repeatedly grown heated, with ICE agents firing projectiles and using tear gas at times.
Tensions between protesters and ICE agents have escalated multiple times in recent weeks. The majority of those clashes have taken place in the streets outside the ICE vehicles have been leaving or arriving at the facility, and protesters have tried to block their path.
On Thursday, state and local officials established a designated protest zone outside the ICE facility.
Illinois and Cook County officials said they have set up a temporary unified command to coordinate public safety efforts outside the ICE facility in Broadview.
Illinois State Police, the Cook County Sheriff's Office, the Cook County Department of Emergency Management and Regional Security, and the Illinois Emergency Management Agency have set up designated areas for protesters outside the facility, while leaving the street open for vehicles.
Crews installed new concrete barriers Thursday night establishing the designated protest zones and restricted area outside the ICE facility.
"The goal of the Unified Command is to protect the health and safety of all individuals, including nearby Broadview residents and businesses, and enable the peaceful expression of First Amendment rights. The agencies involved in this operation will neither assist nor obstruct enforcement of federal immigration statutes in compliance with state and federal law," Illinois State Police said.
Thompson said that, on Saturday night, a "very aggressive crowd of protesters" got out of control, and shut down 25th Avenue outside the ICE facility, and tried to block the nearby Eisenhower Expressway as well.
"We had over 60 state troopers helping and we had to seek additional assistance from other local police departments who rushed to Broadview to help. And Broadview residents had to suffer through that mayhem," Thompson said.
Demonstrators and residents express concerns over limited protest times during village board meeting
During a village board meeting on Monday evening, protestors and residents voiced their concerns, saying the order to protest between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. infringes on First Amendment rights. The mayor fired back, saying this is needed to help people who live in Broadview feel safe and return to some sort of normalcy.
"This order, while well-intentioned, goes too far," Anjali said. "It silences working residents that can only gather after 6 p.m."
Some say that it is not free speech, but Mayor Thompson said that's not her intention.
"Let me be clear, I will always support the First Amendment and right of people to peacefully protest, but as Mayor I must also balance the right with the safety and well-being of Broadview residents and the businesses."
At the meeting, Thompson also addressed the video showing Secretary Kristi Noem attempting to use the village hall bathroom on Friday before she was turned away.
"Let me be clear. I've never known an individual to bring a videographer and a photographer to a bathroom break," she said.
Thompson said there must be an urgent public health matter inside the Broadview facility. She now wants authorities to check on the people and plumbing inside.
"I am calling on all federal elected congressional officials, Democrats, Republicans, and Independents, to inspect the facility immediately."
As for the nine-hour time limit for protestors, Thompson said the village needs this as they do not have the resources to pay first responders' overtime.
She's not sure if protestors will abide by the order, but she says police will follow protocols.
"It's not in their community. When they leave Broadview, guess where they get to go back, to a safe, calm environment," Thompson said.
There will be a hearing in federal court on Tuesday morning, where the village is fighting to get the fence down around the ICE facility that was put up a couple of weeks ago to keep protestors back.
The village said the fence prohibits first responders in Broadview from doing their job.