West Cook News

Aaron Del Mar, lieutenant governor candidate and chairman of the Cook County Republican Party, questioned Broadview Mayor Katrina Thompson’s handling of recent protests at the Broadview ICE Processing Center, citing what he described as a failure to maintain public safety and support law enforcement.

Del Mar said Thompson has refused to deploy the village’s 32-member police department to assist federal immigration officers, while instead launching three criminal investigations into Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

“It doesn't make any sense,” Del Mar told West Cook News. “Why isn't she sending the Broadview Police Department in there to make sure the streets are clear and keeping the protesters on the right of way? We encourage that. You want to protest, you have a First Amendment right. Get on the right of ways, stay in the public area, stay out of the street, stay off federal property. No one's got a problem.”

Aaron Del Mar | Facebook / Vote Hannah for Illinois

Thompson has publicly opposed ICE’s presence in Broadview, a village of about 8,000 residents, accusing the agency of using excessive force. 

In a Sept. 26 letter to ICE, she called for an end to enforcement actions she says are provoking unrest and condemned the agency for erecting fencing that she claims blocked emergency access.

“In effect, you are making war on my community. And it has to stop,” Thompson wrote. “Your deliberate defiance of our local law risks a potential tragedy unfolding.”

In the same letter, she urged ICE to adopt a policy rooted in “love and kindness.”

Del Mar pushed back on claims that federal agents were escalating tensions.

“That’s actually untrue,” he said. “If (protesters) were on the sidewalks, in the public right of way, having a peaceful protest and not inhibiting the work of the federal officers, nobody would have a problem. Nobody would need tear gas. Nobody would need to bring in additional troops.”

The protests began after the launch of Operation Midway Blitz, a federal immigration enforcement effort in Chicago following the death of Katie Abraham, a student killed by an illegal immigrant previously released under the state’s sanctuary policy. Abraham’s father has publicly blamed those policies and voiced support for the federal response, which has resulted in more than 500 arrests.

Del Mar said ICE officers are simply enforcing existing immigration law and protecting themselves. 

“All these officers are simply trying to do their jobs and protect themselves,” he said. “The situation has gotten so out of hand that the federal government now has to send additional troops to Illinois to enforce immigration laws that are already on the books—no one is doing anything illegal.”

He also described the protesters as the main agitators. 

“From what I’ve seen, it’s the protesters who are agitating the area, locking down entrances and exits, and trying to gain entry into the facility,” he said.

More than 200 protesters gathered outside the Broadview ICE facility over the past weekend, days after a sniper opened fire on a separate ICE facility in Dallas. 

Demonstrators in Broadview chanted slogans such as “kill ICE” and “shoot ICE,” clashed with law enforcement, and were found carrying fireworks, protective gear and, in at least two cases, handguns, according to authorities. Eleven people were arrested and a suspected explosive device was recovered, bringing the month’s total to 27 arrests at the facility.

Del Mar rejected media descriptions of the protest as peaceful, referencing reports of demonstrators arriving with shields. 

“The legacy media even reported that these ‘peaceful’ protesters had shields, and they took them away,” he said. “Well, what do you need shields for if you're sitting on the right of way peacefully protesting?”

In response to Thompson’s criticisms, acting ICE Director Todd Lyons issued a statement defending the agency’s actions.

“The safety and protection of our officers, staff, and those in our custody remain our top priority,” Lyons wrote. “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 also cited the sniper incident in Dallas, calling it one of multiple recent attacks on ICE personnel.

“These events come just days after the armed attack on an ICE facility in Dallas, where officers were targeted simply for carrying out their duties,” he wrote. “Against that backdrop, 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 to public safety.”

ICE and the Department of Homeland Security have reported a significant increase in attacks against immigration officers this year and have requested additional support from state and local police. Lyons said repeated requests to Broadview’s police department have gone unanswered.

“If our officers were provided the support they need, the crowd control measures referenced in your letter would not be necessary,” he wrote. He added that “failure to help provide relief makes you a party to the obstruction of justice.”

Footage from the protests shows confrontations between demonstrators and federal agents, including activists blocking vehicles, shouting insults such as “Nazi,” “traitor” and “Gestapo,” and calling for the release of detainees. 

Some demonstrators accused officers of “kidnapping” undocumented individuals. ICE agents declared an unlawful assembly and deployed crowd-control tactics including less-lethal munitions.

Del Mar said that while he supports peaceful protest, the situation in Broadview has crossed a legal and ethical line. He recalled a 2018 protest in Palatine that he said was handled appropriately.

“They stayed in the right of way, they had their part,” he said. “I brought them donuts. I didn’t really care. It wasn’t a big deal. They wanted to protest, perfectly fine. I did my meeting, we did our stuff, everybody went on their merry way.”

In contrast, he said current protests are confrontational, referencing social media posts by U.S. House candidate Kat Abughazaleh, who wrote on Instagram that she and others intended to “rescue” a detainee.

“They’re going to ‘rescue’ them?” Del Mar said. “How do you rescue somebody in federal custody? You’re going to attack, try to get them inside the facility, and rescue them. You’re going to block the cars. What does that entail? That’s the kind of stuff happening out there. They believe they’re rescuing people.”

Del Mar argued that enforcement actions only become controversial when protesters interfere with federal operations.

“When you start engaging in and preventing the federal government or any level of government from enforcing the current law, that’s where the problem is,” he said. “If they were just peaceful protesters, nobody would have an issue.”

He also linked the violence to far-left groups such as Antifa and accused Democratic officials—Thompson, Gov. JB Pritzker, and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson—of enabling unrest through political rhetoric.

“The governor’s political rhetoric is making things worse, creating an unsafe environment for federal officers,” Del Mar said. “The White House has no choice but to send more personnel because the governor can’t keep residents or federal agents safe enough to manage the situation.”

Looking ahead to the 2026 election, Del Mar said that if he and Republican gubernatorial candidate Darren Bailey are elected, they will cooperate fully with federal authorities.

“If Darren Bailey and I are elected governor, and I’m not trying to politicize this, but I can tell you we’re going to cooperate with the federal government,” he said. “We’re not going to be working against them, because the first thing we have to do is take care of our own people.”

Del Mar also cited recent gun violence in Chicago as evidence that public safety is not being prioritized.

“Labor Day weekend, 54 people were shot, 13 people were killed. This past weekend, 11 people were shot, 8 people were killed in Chicago,” he said. “So we're not even taking care of our own people.”

Protesters clash with law enforcement outside the Broadview ICE Processing Center, chanting violent slogans and blocking entrances during escalating demonstrations against federal immigration enforcement. (YouTube / WGN News)

Rioters outside the Broadview ICE Processing Center chant violent slogans like ‘shoot ICE’ and ‘kill ICE,’ just days after a deadly attack on an ICE facility in Dallas. (Terry Newsome)

A rioter, stripped to the waist, shows multiple welts on his back after being repeatedly struck by pepper bullets during a violent clash with law enforcement outside the Broadview ICE Processing Center. (Terry Newsome)