Scuffle between demonstrators, police outside Broadview ICE facility as Sens. Durbin, Duckworth denied entry

After protesters at the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Broadview tussled with state police and sheriff deputies Friday morning, U.S. Sens. Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth were denied entry to the building in hope of seeing “what they’re doing inside.”

The Democratic senators have made multiple requests to the Department of Homeland Security for oversight of the facility, which is used to process detained immigrants and has been the center of almost daily protests of President Donald Trump’s escalated deportation campaign over the last month.

“It is appalling that two United States senators are not allowed to visit this facility,” Duckworth told reporters outside the building Friday afternoon. “What are you afraid of is what I want to ask [Homeland Security Secretary] Kristi Noem. What are you afraid of? You don’t hide, you don’t run away when you’re proud of what you’re doing.”

Durbin said he used to regularly visit the ICE facility, at 1930 Beach St., but it’s been a couple decades since he’s last been inside. He said the Trump administration has not communicated with him or Duckworth about their immigration enforcement plans and who they are arresting.

“I’ve never had this kind of stonewalling by any presidential administration,” Durbin said. “Something’s going on in there that they don’t want us to see. I don’t know what it is, but all Americans should be asking the same question: What is it? Can you justify it under the Constitution?”

There were no signs of National Guard members Friday, a day after a federal judge temporarily blocked the Trump administration from deploying Guard members to Illinois.

Guard troops had been seen at the Broadview ICE facility for the first time Thursday, but on Friday, dozens of state police troopers were stationed outside the entrances to the building, on 25th Avenue and Beach Street while protesters gathered in “designated free speech zones” recently established there.

A scuffle broke out in the morning as troopers — at least two of whom were seen with pepper ball guns — pushed protesters away and back from 25th Avenue. Traffic was disrupted earlier by several demonstrators who were in the street along 25th Avenue near the facility.

A smaller protest Friday afternoon remained peaceful. Demonstrators began to disperse about 6 p.m., which is the new protest curfew at the facility under an executive order issued this week by Broadview Mayor Katrina Thompson.

Four people were arrested during the earlier protest and charged with resisting and obstruction: Mara R. Blumenstein, 28; Emmett J. Matlock, 19; Peter M. Reimer, 31; and Daniel R. Toerpe, 28.

A fence ICE officials erected last month across Beach Street in an attempt to block protesters from vehicle access to the facility still stood Friday afternoon despite a federal judge ordering its immediate removal late Thursday night.

Abigail Warhus, 29, said the makeshift fence had “infringed upon us as protesters” and was glad it was ordered to be dismantled.

“It also infringed on us being able to get close and monitor what’s going on in the facility, which is how this whole protest began,” she said.

In another federal court ruling Thursday, a judge temporarily barred federal agents from spraying chemical agents and rubber bullets at peaceful protesters and journalists covering demonstrations.

Warhus said the rulings together show “Chicago is fighting back.”

“Chicago is not going to sit by and let ICE terrorize our neighborhoods,” Warhus said. “We’re willing to mobilize as soon as possible to get things done.”

The ICE facility has been the site of ongoing and often tense demonstrations against Trump’s deportation efforts. Federal agents’ repeated use of chemical irritants and rubber pellets against protesters and bystanders has quelled in the last week since state troopers and other local law enforcement assumed crowd control responsibilities.

Contributing: Chip Mitchell and Kade Heather