A school district issued an alert to the community warning after ICE and Border Patrol were seen making arrests in the Waukegan and North Chicago area on Thursday.
North Chicago School District 187 Superintendent John Price sent an “important safety alert” to parents and community members on Thursday afternoon regarding immigration enforcement activity.
Price said the message was to inform people that the district recently received confirmation of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity in the North Chicago area.
The message said the latest reports indicated there was an ICE presence at Foss Park in North Chicago in the early morning hours on Thursday.
The message also said that since that time there was additional ICE activity along the Lewis Avenue corridor in Waukegan.
“The safety and well-being of our students, families, and community are our highest priority,” Price said.
“We will continue to monitor the situation closely and will provide updates as more information becomes available,” Price added.
A Facebook live video captured a man, who was holding a promotional sign for a nearby business on the side of the road, being detained by Border Patrol at Washington Street and Green Bay Road in Waukegan around noon.
Agents were also seen making arrests at Dunkin’ Donuts on Grand Avenue in Waukegan and at Rubi’s Bakery on Washington Street in Waukegan.
Video from the arrests at Foss Park in North Chicago captured HSI and other agents arresting at least three people.
The surge of arrests in Lake County comes amid ICE’s “Operation Midway Blitz” and Border Patrol’s “Operation At Large” in the Chicago area.
Hundreds of ICE agents are operating out of Naval Station Great Lakes in Lake County for the operation.