ICE Activity In Skokie Shakes Community

SKOKIE, IL — The Village of Skokie was rocked over the weekend by the presence of federal immigration enforcement agents who reportedly took a resident into custody.

At Monday night's Village Board meeting, officials and members of the community expressed their concerns about the safety of their neighbors. According to officials, ICE agents were present in a north Skokie neighborhood on Saturday.

Following the incident, several residents reached out to the village and officials passed their concerns along to Gov. JB Pritzker's office and Rep. Jan Schakowsky's office. No information about the resident who was apprehended was available.

"We care for each other in Skokie, what I believe is essential is that we as a community continue to live our values by educating ourselves and by making sure that our neighbors also are well-informed," Mayor Anne Tennes said at Monday night's Village Board meeting.

According to a statement released by the village, Immigration and Customs Enforcement does not notify Skokie police or village officials of its operations, as it is federal protocol to keep such actions confidential.

After Saturday's incident, residents urged the village to keep in touch with the community and neighboring cities to ensure the region is aware of the presence of ICE agents.

"The fact that they are masked, and often unidentified, and in unmarked vans is really scary," Skokie resident Emi Yamauchi said. "It's a clear difference from our own police, who are unmasked, in clearly marked cars and who are obviously here to serve and protect. ICE is not, and as far as I'm concerned, they're basically invading our neighborhoods."

In May, the Department of Homeland Security put Skokie on a list of "sanctuary jurisdictions defying federal immigration law." The federal agency demanded that each jurisdiction immediately review and revise their policies to align with federal immigration laws.

In response to the callout, Skokie said it would remain steadfast in its commitment to support and serve all Skokie residents.

“We will continue working with our local law enforcement partners and the Governor’s Office to monitor this issue and ensure that our policies reflect the values of our community,” Tennes said.

In accordance with the Illinois TRUST Act, the village will not support immigration enforcement operations or detain individuals based on citizenship or immigration status pursuant to a criminal warrant.

Community members who are seeking assistance or information related to immigrant rights are encouraged to visit the Immigrant Family Resource Program or the Immigration Resources Hub, or contact Skokie Health and Human Services at 847-933-8208.