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Broadview mayor claims victory after ICE fence torn down outside facility
Broadview Mayor Katrina Thompson claimed "victory" after winning a legal battle to tear down fencing outside a contentious ICE facility.
BROADVIEW, Ill. - The eight-foot fence surrounding the ICE facility in Broadview was removed Tuesday night, following a judge’s order requiring it to come down by midnight, three weeks after it was originally installed.
What we know:
The fence, erected on Sept. 23, had become a flashpoint between federal authorities, protesters, and the Village of Broadview, which had opposed its placement.
A letter from the Broadview Fire Department to the Department of Homeland Security noted that the fence was built without permission on a public street under the village’s jurisdiction.
Workers removed the fence under the watch of Illinois State Police, and new concrete barriers have been placed near the facility.
What they're saying:
Broadview Mayor Katrina Thompson released the following statement Wednesday:
"The law, including municipal law, applies even to the federal government. This is a victory for the rule of law in a country that is still a democracy. And it is a victory for Broadview residents and businesses who depend on their municipal government to assure public safety."
On Wednesday morning, a small group of protesters gathered near the designated protest zone, including one person dressed as an axolotl, though Illinois State Police had not approached them as the official protesting hours were yet to begin.
The removal of the fence marks the latest development in ongoing tensions between ICE, local authorities, and activists in Broadview.
The Source: The information in this article came from the Village of Broadview, the Department of Homeland Security and on-the-scene reporting from FOX 32's Gabriella Premus.