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() Federal agents are facing growing scrutiny over their interactions with protesters outside an ICE facility in a Chicago suburb. The former chair of the Illinois Republican Party, Pat Brady, told the weekly escalating protests are proof “something’s not going right” with ICE’s operation.
On Friday, federal immigration agents detained protesters who had gathered outside the immigration processing facility in the village of Broadview, Illinois, calling for transparency and accountability from federal agents.
Brady, a former federal prosecutor, told part of the problem for residents could be how different ICE works from law enforcement that locals are used to.
“They’re not operating like typical law enforcement does here,” Brady said. “They’re cruising up and down the river in gunboats and doing things that [Chicago police] doesn’t do, the sheriff’s office doesn’t do, or state police don’t do.”
“[The ICE agents] look like something from another planet,” Brady said. “I’m not criticizing them. They’re doing just what they’re told, but it appears a little heavy handed the last couple of weeks.”
Federal agents used tear gas, pepper spray and rubber bullets on crowds gathering outside the facility some of which have struck protesters, bystanders and journalists. Department of Homeland Security officials have reported that more than 900 arrests have been made during Operation Midway Blitz, as federal officers continue to target what the administration refers to as the “worst of the worst.”
“I agree that a lot of the people in that crowd probably don’t want people here that are here illegally, or certainly not criminals,” Brady said. “But what we’re seeing, at least in the news accounts, they’re taking people that aren’t necessarily criminals maybe illegal, but not engaged in criminal activity. They’re just not striking the proper balance if you get people coming out protesting like this. Something is not going right.”