ICE detains 4 people outside Chicago homeless shelter, officials say
ICE detains 4 people outside Bronzeville homeless shelter
Federal agents reportedly detained multiple people outside of a homeless shelter in Chicago's Bronzeville neighborhood on Wednesday morning.
CHICAGO - Another ICE raid has targeted the city's South Side — this time in Bronzeville, where federal agents reportedly detained multiple people outside of a homeless shelter on Wednesday morning.
It happened around 9 a.m., according to shelter leaders, who described the situation as an 'ambush.'
Four people were arrested by federal agents, shelter officials said.
What we know:
The shelter, which operates in a publicly undisclosed location for the safety of its residents, is run by the Bright Star Community Development Corporation.
On Wednesday morning, Bright Star's leaders were alerted by staff members at the shelter that federal agents were on the ground.
"There were about 30 to 35 masked agents. In the streets, all over the place — you see chaos," said Chris Harris, senior pastor at Bright Star Church Chicago. "And they just completely caught everybody off guard."
Bright Star Community Development Corporation Executive Director Caryl West said about seven unmarked SUVs with tinted windows pulled up to the shelter around 9 a.m. when a group of residents were outside. Some were preparing to leave for work, while others were getting fresh air, he said.
"[The agents] jumped out, exited and there were about 20 residents, maybe, outside here, and they immediately gave chase," West said. "They did not present warrants or ask if they could speak to any residents. They just showed up."
Surveillance video captured the scene.
According to shelter officials, five people were initially detained but one person was later released, leaving four individuals in ICE custody.
Video shows federal agents outside Bronzeville shelter
Federal agents were seen outside of a Bronzeville homeless shelter on Wednesday. Pastor Chris Harris Sr. captured the incident on Facebook Live. (Video courtesy of Pastor Chris Harris Sr.)
Leaders, including West and Harris, responded immediately. Harris took out his cellphone and started to stream what he was witnessing on Facebook Live.
"They showed up at our shelter here in Bronzeville," Harris can be heard saying in the video.
Those who run the shelter said they don't know why ICE agents targeted the location but are working to locate the individuals who were detained.
Harris said he tried to communicate with the federal agents who responded.
"They were certainly not rude, but they were absolutely pretty firm about what they were here to do. They didn't want to talk, didn't want to communicate very much, they just came to do what they came to do," Harris explained. "And what was really heartbreaking for me, there was very little compassion. I get that they're here to do a job, but where is the humanity in all this."
The Bronzeville shelter houses 260 residents — both men and women.
"You cannot even imagine what it makes you feel just watching," West said when recalling the raid.
"It's very invasive, intrusive, all the things, anything that you think, it's worse than that," said Lakreshia Kindred, executive director of Bright Star Community Outreach. "We hear a lot about this, and we see it on the news, but when you actually see it in your backyard, and experience it, it's a completely different impact."
Kindred, alongside Harris and West, are now working to support the residents at the shelter, who are left on-edge.
"Anxious, uncertain, scared, not really sure what to expect. One of the things we focus on here is to try to help them support themselves," Kindred said. "The possibility of all that being ended is very scary to them."
What's next:
FOX 32 Chicago made several attempts to reach ICE for more information about the operation, including whether federal agents were targeting anyone in particular, but did not immediately hear back.