Almost 200 attended a protest that was held in Gurnee where marchers said they were showing support for immigrants impacted by “kidnappings and racial profiling” committed by immigration agents.
A peace walk and rally organized by Northeast Lake County Indivisible, PSL Lake County and Indivisible Western Lake County was held on Saturday morning.
The walk aimed to support children, educators and families living in “fear of the reckless and dangerous immigration abductions” across the community, organizers said.
The walk began at 11 a.m. on the corner of Brookhaven Road and North O’Plaine Road in Gurnee.
Participants marched peacefully north on O’Plaine Road, then east on Old Grand Avenue, before ending at Viking Park where speakers shared “compelling impact stories and calls to action,” organizers said.
“Dangerous and aggressive ICE actions have reached Lake County, bringing fear and chaos to our community. Increased aggression, intimidation, and overreach have deeply impacted our families and schools,” Northeast Lake County Indivisible said.
The group referenced a high-speed pursuit initiated by federal agents that traveled through Lake County and ended at Warren Township High School’s O’Plaine Campus on October 30.
The Department of Homeland Security said two violent criminals with a past that includes kidnapping, domestic violence and assault, ran into the Gurnee high school in an attempt to evade capture, endangering students in the process.
Protest organizers said the incident was an example of “ICE’s harmful impact on our children, teachers, school administrators and community — Just another reason why we must stand together to say ‘ICE out of our Schools.'”
PSL Lake County said the walk and rally was organized to show support to immigrants impacted by “kidnappings and racial profiling” committed by ICE and Border Patrol, in addition to participants demanding the agents stay away from schools.
“ICE and Border Patrol don’t make our communities safer – their presence has caused chaos and trauma. People are uniting to demand ICE gets out and stays out!” PSL Lake County said.
Lake County Board Member Carissa Casbon, who is the mother of a Warren Township High School student, said she attended the “loving and peaceful” event, which she called a “testament to the healing power of the community.
“It’s clear that the current federal administration has an agenda straight from the authoritarian playbook. They are scapegoating our immigrant community—at least those with brown skin,” Casbon said to the crowd.
“Well, if they think they can succeed, they don’t know us very well. “Those people,” hunted by ICE, are our friends, our local business owners, our community leaders, our neighbors. “They” are “US”— an intrinsic part of the fabric of our community. And if they think that fabric is so weak that hate can destroy it, they are mistaken,” Casbon said.
Casbon also called out ICE for chasing after the two men who ran onto Warren Township High School’s O’Plaine Campus last month.
“These federal agents weren’t chasing the individuals for a crime in progress. There is no evidence to suggest that the two individuals in question were armed, dangerous, or posed an imminent threat to the community. Because high-speed chases are so dangerous, many police departments in Lake County have adopted a “no chase” policy. Why? Because our police officers live and work here. They are invested in our community’s health and safety. I’ve spoken to several law enforcement personnel. None of them thought this high-speed chase was justified or safe. This is not normal,” she said.
The Saturday event drew a noticeably smaller crowd than “No Kings” protests that have previously taken place in Lake County.
David McDowell of Northeast Lake County Indivisible said he believes approximately 170 people attended the event, according to one of the protest’s marshals.