ICE tells Broadview officials agents will launch enforcement throughout suburb, village says

BROADVIEW, Ill. (WLS) — Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents told officials in Broadview that they will launch enforcement throughout the west suburb on Saturday, the village said in a statement.

The village says ICE agents told Broadview police that there will be a “s*** show” in the area on Saturday and that federal officers will deploy chemicals again.

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In a statement, Broadview said this is all in retaliation to the village calling on ICE to “stop making war on our community.”

“Let’s be clear. ICE is seeking to intimidate the Village of Broadview because we dared exercise our 1st Amendment constitutional rights calling for an end to their war on Broadview. We will not be intimidated. We are Broadview strong,” the village said in a statement, in part.

Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin issued a statement, saying, “This is made up. Our law enforcement enforces the rule of law. Period.”

This comes as more protests are expected at the Broadview ICE facility on Saturday after Friday night’s standoff between demonstrators and federal agents.

Demonstrators have been protesting against the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement blitz happening across Chicago.

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Officers used chemical agents multiple times in an effort to disperse the crowds on Friday, and federal authorities now say one of the people arrested had a gun.

Elias Cepeda, a volunteer with Pilsen Defense and Access, is seen in this video posted to Instagram right before his arrest. The 41-year-old has joined other protesters at the facility for weeks.

His mother says her son is a legal Concealed-Carry License holder and is demanding his release while other demonstrators shared their account of his arrest.

DHS commented on Cepeda’s arrest and the discovery of his firearm, writing in a post to X, in part, “This is transpiring just a few days after the horrific terrorist attack on an ICE facility in Dallas.”

Demonstrators say the other man arrested on Friday is a military veteran.

Saturday’s protest is not expected to start until later in the afternoon. Broadview Mayor Katrina Thompson urged Broadview residents to “take all necessary precautions to protect themselves and their families in order to stay out of harm’s way.”