If there is a silver lining in a dragnet of federal agents invading the region, it has to be that area motels and hotels will be brimming for at least a month with G-men billeted on the taxpayers’ dime.
Some 300 of them will be spending their nights in cozy comfort after a long day of searching for undocumented residents.
For Gurnee hoteliers, it must be a boon considering Six Flags Great America has gone to weekends-only operations, with Fright Fest beginning Sept. 13. Area restaurateurs should also see a spike in diners as platoons of agents stationed up this way no doubt will be eating out a lot.
Perhaps some Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers will be assigned to the posh Deerpath Inn in Lake Forest, or better yet the Great Wolf Lodge in Gurnee. Nothing like an indoor waterpark for a relaxing soak after a day of masked marauding.
While federal agents are expected to be using Naval Station Great Lakes as their base of operations through Oct. 5, Navy barracks or housing will not be available to them, according to Navy officials.
The economic boost to nearby communities is about the only bright spot having feds in the area to “flood the zone,” to quote Tom Homan, the nation’s border czar. While they may be scouring the sanctuary city of Chicago targeting illegal aliens, they’ll certainly have an eye toward Lake County’s undocumented.
To that end, North Chicago Mayor Leon Rockingham Jr. and Waukegan Mayor Sam Cunningham have tried to calm residents over the presence of ICE agents, who will be based at Great Lakes for perhaps a month. National Guard troops also could be based at Great Lakes in order to patrol Chicago streets, although President Donald Trump is waffling on his promise to do that.
Cunningham issued a statement late in the day of Sept. 4 to reassure the community, which is comprised of a sizeable Hispanic population. Taking a nod from the British during World War II, the mayor says residents should stay calm and carry on.
“Waukegan is, and always has been, a melting pot of cultures from all over the world,” Cunningham stated. “We are proud of our diversity and remain committed to ensuring that every individual feels safe, valued and respected.
“Individuals are encouraged to stay informed, be prepared and know their rights,” he added.
The mayor also reiterated that city police will not participate in any federal immigration enforcement under the Illinois TRUST Act, which bars state and local law enforcement agencies in the Land of Lincoln from assisting the federal government with immigration enforcement.
“To avoid any confusion during this time, it is important to note that officers with the Waukegan Police Department will not participate in any of the reported operations, will not wear masks to conceal their identity, and are clearly identifiable while on-duty, wearing official uniforms with badges,” Cunningham stressed.
Rockingham echoed Waukegan’s stance. “I don’t believe that a time has come in our country where the National Guard and ICE are coming into our community to basically scare the Latino population,” Rockingham said. “I didn’t think our country would ever get to that point.”
While most area pols are opposed to the coming ICE blitz and stationing National Guard troops in the region, Illinois Republican Party Chair Kathy Salvi of rural Mundelein argues Trump is merely following through on his campaign promises. “This administration has shown they have a resolve to remove the murderers and the gangbangers, and arrest them and put them back in the countries where they originally came,” Salvi said last week.
So far, some Waukeganites are not running scared in the face of this flagrant show of authoritarianism, heeding community leaders’ advice of continuing to live freely. The city’s annual Viva La Independencia Parade celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month, as well as the Independence Days of Mexico and other Latin American countries, remains scheduled for Sept. 14.
One of the largest heritage parades in the region, participants will step off on the parade route at Washington and Butrick streets, ending in downtown Waukegan. Organizers may still be paying close attention to possible ICE activity in the area.
A similar Sept. 14 parade starting on Jackson Street in Waukegan and traveling south into North Chicago has been canceled. Wauconda canceled its Latin Heritage Fest scheduled for Sept. 13, with village police saying it was prompted by concerns over the potential immigration operation.
State and local officials believe if Guardsmen and women are posted to the area, they will be used to protect federal buildings not only in Chicago, but also possibly area sites like the Social Security office on North Lewis Avenue in Waukegan. County law enforcement representatives were briefed last week on what missions the federal agents will be tasked.
Besides sweeps for undocumented resident, information is skimpy on what their missions will exactly entail. Outside of comfortably bunking at local hotels and motels, that is.
Charles Selle is a former News-Sun reporter, political editor and editor.
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