Acting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director Todd M. Lyons firmly pushed back against Broadview, Ill., Mayor Katrina R. Thompson after she accused ICE of “making war” on her community in a Sept. 26 letter to the agency’s Chicago field office.
In a written response, Lyons condemned the mayor’s rhetoric as “outlandish” and said it misrepresents the reality of escalating violence at ICE’s Broadview Processing Center. “Unfortunately, the Broadview Processing Center continues to face violence and unlawful activity by rioters. The relentless actions of these individuals—and their attempts to obstruct the enforcement of federal law—are unacceptable,” Lyons said.
According to Lyons, ICE officers have faced repeated assaults from agitators outside the Broadview facility, with several arrests made in the past week for assault and obstruction. He said three protesters were found carrying loaded firearms, underscoring the threats faced by federal officers, first responders, and residents.
ICE also criticized a lack of cooperation from local law enforcement. “We have repeatedly requested assistance from state and local law enforcement, including your own police department, to disperse these unlawful assemblies,” Lyons wrote. “Instead, local inaction has enabled agitators to escalate violence and placed federal officers, first responders, and Broadview residents in harm’s way.”
Lyons said that local officials are “a party to the obstruction of justice” by failing to assist federal officers. He emphasized that ICE operations will not change until the unlawful activity ceases. “The only siege in Broadview is the one being waged against the United States government,” he said.
The letter stressed that ICE officers are tasked with protecting the public from dangerous criminal aliens, not targeting local residents. Lyons said misrepresentations from elected leaders only erode public trust and risk encouraging more violence.
“Mayor Thompson is distorting reality, pointing her finger in the wrong direction, while our officers are protecting her community—and others—from real threats,” Lyons wrote.
ICE said the agency remains committed to its mission of enforcing federal immigration laws and removing dangerous offenders, regardless of political opposition or violent protests at facilities like Broadview.
