Crawford Denounces Deployment of Texas National Guard, Gross Misconduct by ICE Agents in Illinois

CHICAGO – State Rep. Mike Crawford, D-Chicago, released the following statement denouncing the deployment and continued escalation of immigration enforcement in Chicago.

“On an early Wednesday morning last week, ICE agents landed a helicopter on the roof of a predominantly-Black South Shore apartment building, broke down doors and held guns to peoples’ heads as they rounded them up, zip-tied them and detained lawful U.S. citizens for hours on end.

“This is not new for recent immigration enforcement actions in our community. Agents have been documented restraining children, ripping men and women out of cars in broad daylight and using tear gas and rubber bullets on peaceful protesters at ICE facilities.

“The growing escalation of tactics, overpolicing of Americans and recklessly abandoning common sense crime-fighting principles demonstrates that the federal government isn’t serious about helping state and local law enforcement agencies fight crime. If they were, they would have done that by now. But, they haven’t, and likely won’t.

“As we return to Springfield this Fall, I am committed to ensuring our state laws reflect tried and tested public safety policy, not wanton fearmongering. There is no room in our state for hateful policies that bring people down and make them afraid, shoring up loopholes in our legal framework is our defense against these tyrannical federal enforcement actions.”