Hundreds of people marched in protest in Waukegan on Saturday calling for an end to deportations and for ICE to leave Lake County amid the federal agency’s “enhanced operations.”
The Party for Socialism and Liberation (PSL) organized the protest, which began around 12 p.m. Saturday near Belvidere Road and Lewis Avenue in Waukegan.
PSL Chicago said approximately 500 people gathered for the event and marched with signs calling for the end of deportations and for ICE to leave Lake County.
“Our communities have been hurt by these raids, but we have also shown our strength. Trump has mobilized a large portion of the federal government’s law enforcement assets in Chicago, and we have yet to see his administration gloat over the number of immigration arrests in the city,” PSL Chicago said.
“We won’t be afraid! When immigrant rights are under attack, we fight back!” the organization said.
“No raids! No deportations! ICE out of Lake County!” one sign said at the march.
“My parents fought for my future now I will fight for theirs!” another sign said.
The protest comes a week after the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) said that they began conducting “enhanced target operations” in the Chicagoland area.
ICE said the operations are to enforce United States immigration law and “preserve public safety.”
ICE also said the operations aim to keep “potentially dangerous criminal aliens out of our communities.”
Video released by ICE showed agents knocking on doors in the Chicago area and arresting people.
ICE said they were being assisted by other federal partners, including the FBI, ATF, DEA, CBP and the U.S. Marshals Service.
Waukegan resident Yelitza Marquina told ABC7 Chicago that ICE arrested her 44-year-old father at his home in Waukegan on January 26.
“For them to just take him like that,” Marquina said. “They opened the door because they thought, maybe, one of us was in trouble, or something happened to us. Never did he think they were ICE.”
“I’m already heartbroken, myself, and I can’t really imagine little kids whose families are breaking apart because of this,” she said.
The Chicago Tribune reported a Round Lake man was arrested by ICE the same day as well. He has since been released.
Video and photos posted on social media by residents last weekend showed federal agencies in Lake County, including in Waukegan and Mundelein.