Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons responded to Broadview, Illinois, Mayor Katrina Thompson after weeks of demonstrations outside the federal immigration processing center in the Chicago suburb, saying “violent rioters” have “been laying siege” to operations and threatening federal personnel, as reported by Fox News.
The exchange followed a series of confrontations outside the facility in which protesters blocked law enforcement vehicles and shouted threats at officers. Federal officers have used riot control measures during the unrest, and multiple arrests have been made.
On Friday, Mayor Thompson sent a letter to ICE Field Office Director Russell Hott in which she accused the agency of “making war” on her community and “endangering nearby village residents” with its response to the protests, according to WTTW.
In a statement answering Thompson’s letter, ICE said the mayor was “distorting reality” and “pointing her finger in the wrong direction, while our officers are protecting her community — and others — from real threats, while also facing skyrocketing violence against them, including at the Broadview facility.”
ICE said several arrests in recent days included charges of assault and obstruction. “In the past week alone, violent rioters have been arrested for assault and obstruction, and three of them were carrying loaded firearms to protest,” the agency said.
Lyons followed with his own letter to Thompson this week, criticizing what he described as escalated rhetoric and a lack of local support.
He said repeated requests for assistance from state and local law enforcement, including the Broadview Police Department, went unanswered, requiring federal personnel to conduct their own crowd-control actions.
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“If our officers were provided the support they need, the crowd control measures referenced in your letter would not be necessary,” he wrote.
According to Lyons, the conduct outside the Broadview facility has crossed from demonstration to direct threats.
“Chants of ‘shoot ICE’ and physical attempts to breach the Broadview facility cannot be dismissed as peaceful protest. They are direct threats to the lives of federal personnel and public safety,” he wrote.
“The relentless actions of these individuals—and their attempts to obstruct the enforcement of federal law — are unacceptable.”
Lyons also urged the village to enforce local laws and coordinate with federal officers.
“These rioters are laying siege and interfering with legitimate law enforcement operations. Failure to help provide relief makes you a party to the obstruction of justice. You can either continue to be a part of the problem or choose to be part of the solution by directing your police to enforce local ordinances and working with us to remove violent offenders.”
The village’s response rejected Lyons’ account. David Ormsby, a spokesperson for Broadview, told Fox News Digital, “ICE’s acting director must have used Grok AI to compose his letter, because it is full of hallucinations.”
The Broadview facility remains a focal point for protest activity as federal, state, and local officials navigate security, public safety, and First Amendment considerations amid continued demonstrations.
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