The shooting death of a Minnesota woman by an ICE agent earlier in the day weighed heavily on those who participated in an Elgin town hall meeting Wednesday to discuss ICE operations in the city.
Attended by about 250 people, the forum at the Edward Schock Centre of Elgin was in response to a Dec. 6 incident in which a man escaped U.S. Immigration Customs and Enforcement custody and barricaded himself for several hours in an apartment on Maple Lane.
A large group who gathered to protest the actions that day were sprayed with chemical weapons, residents said.
“I was tear-gassed by ICE,” Zack Hislip said. “(ICE) is lying about everything that happened that day.” He refuted allegations that federal agents were hit by bottles and rocks in a riot-like atmosphere.
The problem, Hislip said, is the situation is only growing more tense.
“This is going to keep happening. They’re not winding down. They’re ramping up,” he said. “They’re going to be more violent. They’re going to be more destructive. They’re going to kill people like they did today.”
Hislip was referring to the death of 37-year-old Renee Good, who was shot and killed Wednesday as she was leaving the scene of a Minneapolis protest in her SUV. ICE agents said they fired shots at her because she was attempting to run them down but video and witness accounts seemingly contradict that account.
In her memory, a moment of silence was held at the Elgin meeting.
The gathering was led by Joshua Brockway, director of spiritual formation for the Church of the Brethren in Elgin, who said the goal was to share information and experiences so there was a broader understanding of what has been happening in the city.
“There’s a lot of aggression around us today, especially after today’s killing in Minnesota,” Brockway said. “Anger is rightly at the surface for us. We’ll hopefully turn our aggression, anger and frustration to the conditions we are experiencing and not direct them toward the people around us.”
Residents said they were mad, as well as stymied and disheartened, by immigration enforcement actions in the city and around the country, what they witnessed on Maple Lane and the fatal shooting in Minnesota.
Elgin attorney Vanessa Zamudio said she believes Latinos are being hunted by the federal government.
“It’s a very violent, savage act to be hunted,” said Zamudio, noting that residents are being taken into custody while doing basic things like going to work or running to the store. “We can’t ignore what is happening here. When you don’t take a position, you are taking a position. What is happening here is something inhumane.”
Speakers wanted to know what Elgin would do if someone was shot in the city by ICE and what they can expect city police to do and not do.
Elgin Chief Ana Lalley, who faced shouts, chants and walkouts from the audience, said they will be providing information and answers to those questions in a post to be put out next week on the police department’s online Transparency Hub. The meeting was the result of residents voicing their disapproval of police actions at an Elgin City Council meeting in December.
She also responded to questions about police Officer Jason Lentz, who has been on administrative leave since October after posting pro-ICE comments on social media and suggesting locations that ICE agents should visit. Lalley said the probe is progressing and the Civilian Review Board will review the case soon.
Kane County State’s Attorney Jamie Mosser attended the event as well and said her office continues to look into complaints about possible law violations by ICE agents. She is working on a proposed legislative amendment to the Illinois TRUST Act, which prohibits police from getting involved in federal immigration cases unless there is warrant involved.
Mayor Dave Kaptain said residents need to understand that civil immigration enforcement is carried out by the federal government, and municipalities don’t have the legal authority to stop or direct those actions.
“That reality is deeply frustrating, especially when federal tactics create anxiety and uncertainty for our neighbors. While we cannot control federal enforcement, we can control how the city of Elgin can act within its own authority,” Kaptain said.
“Our immigrant community is not separate from Elgin. They are part of it. Families who live, work, worship and raise their children here belong here. They deserve to feel safe, respected and valued. … We hear that frustration, and we take it seriously.”
A 16-year-old Elgin High School student named Kimberly said her generation feels helpless in the wake of what’s been happening.
“It just hurts to see this,” she said. “We cannot just stand still.”
Twelve-year-old Jimena Gonzalez gave her account of being pepper-sprayed at the Dec. 6 protest.
“This is not justice. This is not freedom. We deserve freedom and justice,” she said.
But two members of the audience said they disagreed with the city’s recent resolution establishing ICE-free zones on public property.
“When did it become OK for people to fight ICE? I stand for ICE,” said one woman, who was booed by audience members. “I do think the police stand up for the immigrants in Elgin where they did nothing for the Black community.”
Residents, including Hislip, said they plan to keep protesting immigration enforcement actions in Elgin in spite of retaliation fears.
“I will keep showing up every time that ICE shows up because, like they say, freedom isn’t free,” he said. “We’re going to be the ones paying the price. We’re going to be the ones on the front lines battling it out and holding them accountable because no one else will.”
Gloria Casas is a freelance reporter for The Courier-News.
