Chicago's "ICE-Free Zones" Executive Order

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson took decisive action to limit the federal incursion by signing an executive order creating "ICE-Free Zones" across the city. This move was a direct application of municipal authority to uphold Chicago's "Welcoming City Ordinance," which restricts local cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.

• Executive Order's Mandate: The order explicitly prohibits U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) from using any City-owned property—including schools, libraries, parks, parking lots, and garages—as staging areas, processing locations, or operations bases for civil immigration enforcement.
• The Power Leveraged: Mayor Johnson used his executive power to control city assets, essentially denying federal agents critical logistical support. This was in response to documented instances of federal agents using city-owned properties as staging sites for raids, which the city argued undermined community trust and violated city policy.
• Expansion: The order also allows private property owners to receive official signage and materials from the city, enabling them to voluntarily declare their property as an ICE-Free Zone, further expanding the city's resistance efforts.

Broadview's Legal Fight Against an "Illegal" Fence

In the Chicago suburb of Broadview, Mayor Katrina Thompson successfully utilized legal and local permitting authority to challenge federal actions. The dispute centered on a security fence erected by ICE outside its processing facility on a public street.

• The Incursion: ICE agents constructed an 8-foot fence that extended the perimeter of their Beach Street facility, but they did so without obtaining the necessary permits from the Village of Broadview. The fence blocked a public road.
• Local Power Leveraged: Mayor Thompson and other Broadview officials successfully argued in court that the fence was "illegally constructed" and presented a severe public safety hazard. The Broadview Fire Department determined that the fence critically impeded emergency vehicle access to other businesses in the industrial area, violating local ordinances and compromising emergency response capabilities.
• Outcome: A federal judge sided with the village, ruling that the federal government's unilateral decision to put up the fence on the village's property exceeded their statutory authority and caused "irreparable harm" by preventing the village from protecting the public's health, safety, and welfare. The judge ordered ICE to dismantle and remove the fence.

Draining Local Resources with False 911 Calls

Broadview Police Chief Thomas Mills highlighted another instance of ICE agents allegedly abusing local resources and authority.

• The Allegation: Chief Mills publicly accused ICE agents of making false 911 calls from the facility, claiming non-existent emergencies like tampering with the gates.
• Impact on Municipal Power: The Chief stated that these alleged bogus calls were an intentional act to drain the resources of his department and the community. Responding to unwarranted calls diverts police officers and other first responders from actual public safety needs, effectively misusing local municipal resources for an agenda outside local control.
• Response: The police chief opened criminal investigations into the incidents and announced that he was reviewing all 911 calls made from the facility, stating that filing a false official report is a violation of law.

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The resistance of these Chicago-area officials demonstrates a concerted effort to use local laws, executive powers over city assets, and legal challenges to municipal violations to push back against federal overreach in immigration enforcement.

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Sources

• Mayor Brandon Johnson Signs “ICE Free Zone” Executive Order, Prohibiting Use Of City Property For Federal Immigration Operations: Mayor Brandon Johnson Signs “ICE Free Zone” Executive Order
• Federal Judge Orders ICE to Take Down 'Illegal' Fence at Broadview Facility: Federal Judge Orders ICE to Take Down 'Illegal' Fence
• Broadview police chief accuses ICE agents of making false 911 calls: Broadview police chief accuses ICE agents of making false 911 calls

This video provides additional context about the Broadview mayor's demands and the removal of the fence. Broadview mayor demands ICE halt 'hostile actions,' remove fence at processing center