U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem said this week she wants to beef up immigration enforcement operations in the Chicago region and purchase additional buildings in the area.
One of the buildings Noem appears to be interested in is a warehouse at 1900 S. 25th Ave. in west suburban Broadview. The warehouse is one block east of the existing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility at 1930 Beach St.
A YouTuber embedded with Noem as she toured the Chicago region in early October posted a video of her walking through the interior of a warehouse the agency is considering purchasing, then climbing up to its rooftop. The building in the video appears to be identical to pictures of 1900 S. 25th Ave. that are in CoStar, a commercial real estate service. The 212,000-square-foot warehouse was constructed in 1966, according to CoStar.
New York-based investor TPG Angelo Gordon & Co. — the current owner of the warehouse, according to CoStar — did not respond to questions about the property. An ICE spokesperson also did not return messages seeking comment this week.
Sg360°, a direct marketing agency that formerly owned the warehouse at 1900 S. 25th Ave., said it’s been wrongly targeted by a pressure campaign meant to stop a sale to DHS.
“In response to recent misinformation circulating on social media and in local news reports, sg360° would like to clarify that we do not own the property located at 1900 S. 25th Avenue in Broadview and have not operated at that location since 2024,” a spokesperson said in a statement. “Accordingly, sg360° is not authorized to sell or transfer ownership of the building to any party or government entity.”
Sg360° sold 1900 S. 25th Ave. for about $10 million in 2017, according to CoStar. The agency remained a tenant before vacating the property in 2024.
Broadview officials confirmed the property is for sale. Village spokesperson David Ormsby said DHS hasn’t contacted the village about possibly buying or leasing the warehouse, but the agency doesn’t typically consult with Broadview.
“The only time they seem to make inquiries is when they say they have to use the bathroom,” Ormsby said, referring to a recent incident when Noem and other federal officials tried to enter the Broadview municipal building but were denied entry.
Ormsby said DHS has also stonewalled attempts by Illinois members of Congress to enter the Beach Street facility and make sure it’s not being used as a long-term detention center or housing people in unsafe conditions.
“It’s officially just a processing center, but we have not been in there to do an inspection, so we have no eyes on it,” he said.
Ormsby said if DHS buys 1900 S. 25th Ave. the building must undergo an inspection to ensure it meets the municipal building code. And if a new owner or tenant wants to repurpose a building, they may need to present detailed plans and secure zoning approval.
“In an ideal situation, they would come to the village,” Ormsby said.
Federal agents, including ICE and U.S. Customs and Border Protection, began “Operation Midway Blitz” in early September, arresting more than 1,000 people for immigration violations, sending many to the Beach Street site. Hundreds of protesters have targeted the facility ever since, and DHS has frequently responded by firing tear gas, pepper balls and other less lethal ammunition.
A federal judge issued a temporary restraining order Thursday barring the use of “riot control weapons” by federal agents against anyone who does not pose an immediate threat, including protesters and journalists.
Another federal judge has ordered DHS to tear down an 8-foot metal security fence it had erected around the Beach Street facility. Broadview officials claimed the fence did not have a permit and violated the municipal fire code. Government attorneys told the court the fence was needed to protect its personnel and vehicles.
