Several hundred protesters carrying signs and bullhorns descended on North Chicago on Saturday to protest outside of Naval Station Great Lakes regarding President Donald Trump’s anticipated deployment of ICE, DHS, and National Guard troops in the Chicago area.
The protestors gathered in front of the Naval Station Great Lakes entrance, waving signs that read, “The people united will defend immigrant families,” “The people say ICE Out,” and “Stop racist deportations.”
In response, Trump’s shared an image on Truth Social Saturday that places him in front of a bonfire and the Chicago skyline, with helicopters flying in.
The name on the photo is “Chipocalypse Now,” with a caption that says, “‘I love the smell of deportations in the morning…’ Chicago is about to find out why it’s called the Department of WAR.”
Trump’s post comes as he has said he plans to send National Guard troops to Chicago, and also follows his signing an executive order to rename the Department of Defense, the Department of War.
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker responded on X, saying, “The President of the United States is threatening to go to war with an American city. This is not a joke. This is not normal. Donald Trump isn’t a strongman, he’s a scared man. Illinois won’t be intimidated by a wannabe dictator.”
Officials said Thursday that approximately 300 Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, along with other federal agents from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), will be operating out of the Naval base as part of Trump’s enhanced immigration operations in the Chicago area.
The enforcement was expected to kick off this weekend, officials said.
U.S. Senators Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth joined U.S. Congressman Brad Schneider on Friday for a tour of Naval Station Great Lakes. However, officials from ICE and DHS were not present, officials said.
Schneider, Durbin, and Duckworth held a news conference following the visit, where Schneider said Trump can ensure safety in Chicago and nearby communities by releasing money earmarked to address U.S. gun violence.
Schneider added that sending in ICE is “putting a wedge in our communities.”
“Covering their faces with masks is doing nothing more than terrorizing and scaring people,” Schnedier said. “It’s not making us safer or more secure, but putting a wedge in our communities.”
He added, “That needs to stop. It needs to stop right now.”
Lake County Government and the City of North Chicago issued a joint statement on Wednesday saying they are aware of recent reports regarding “unprecedented federal operations” that will be based out of the Navy base.
The government bodies said the county will continue to be a “welcoming community for all people, embracing every race, religion, ethnicity, immigration status, gender, sexual orientation, age or ability.”
Officials from North Chicago and Lake Bluff met on Tuesday with the Naval police and representatives from federal agencies as part of a debrief on the operations.
“They did not share a lot of details [with us] but enough to prepare us for protests and other things,” North Chicago Chief of Staff Gregory Jackson said Thursday.
Logistics and command are being set up at the naval base to support the contingent of ICE agents in the field, Jackson said, adding the agents are not living at the naval base and will likely be staying at hotels in surrounding suburbs.
The enhanced immigration operation is expected to last approximately 30 days.
Pritzker said earlier this week there is no official confirmation yet, but he has heard that ICE would be assembled and ready to go on Friday and then begin immigration enforcement actions on Saturday.
The City of North Chicago has approximately a 40% Latino population, and the City of Waukegan also has a high number of Latino residents.
“People are genuinely scared. We hear it from them,” Jackson said, adding that when residents are fearful of the federal government, it also impacts the local level.
“We want to make sure we don’t jeopardize our relationships with the community,” Jackson said. City officials are trying to reassure the community, which is “concerned and nervous.”
The protests and preparations at the Naval base caused several organizations to cancel planned Latino celebrations scheduled for this weekend.
The organization committee for the Fiestas Patrias Parade in North Chicago and Waukegan announced they were postponing the parade that was scheduled for September 14 due to the immigration operation.
The organization stated that hosting the parade poses risks to families and vulnerable community members.
“It was also considered that this situation could be interpreted as a potential call to immigration authorities since thousands of attendees were expected and the large numbers would be eye-catching,” the committee said.
The Wauconda Latin Heritage Fest scheduled for Saturday was also cancelled on Friday via the Wauconda Police Department Facebook page.
The cancellation was attributed to the Village of Wauconda, the Wauconda Police Department, and Transfiguration Church in Wauconda.
“Given the recent climate and concerns in our area related to immigration, the Village of Wauconda, Wauconda Police Department, and Transfiguration Church have made the difficult decision to cancel this year’s Latin Heritage Fest,” the Facebook post reads. “We know how meaningful this event is for our community, and the choice was not made lightly by the committee. Our goal is always to ensure that everyone feels safe, respected, and welcome in Wauconda.”