CHICAGO (WLS) — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement have confirmed to ABC7 that a person was detained Wednesday near two schools on Chicago’s Southwest Side.
The Acero Schools community was on edge Wednesday after administrators said immigration agents detained an adult outside Soto High School and Idar Elementary at the start of the school day.
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In a statement Thursday, ICE said a 37-year-old man from Mexico was arrested Wednesday at the location. The man is allegedly “a known member of a violent street gang with criminal convictions for drug trafficking, gang loitering, and damage to property who was previously removed from the U.S. to his home country in 2005 and 2013,” ICE said.
A video obtained by ABC7 showed what Acero officials said was ICE agents taking someone into custody just after 8 a.m. Wednesday.
“Two babies were trying to be dropped off when this president decided to attack this community and attack a family,” said Hilario Dominguez with the Chicago Teachers Union.
In a letter from Acero officials to families, the charter school network said an adult was dropping off two students when the arrest happened.
The letter read in part, “Agents did not attempt to nor were they permitted to enter either Soto High School or Idar Elementary. There were two students in the vehicle when the adult individual was detained. School administration escorted these students away from the car and to their respective campuses. No individuals were physically harmed during this event.”
“Our people are being targeted and it is not fair. It is not fair what they are doing to our children to our community,” Acero parent Lucy Salgado said.
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Many parents told ABC7 this has renewed fear in their homes. Parents said the incident comes at an already difficult time for the Acero community.
Many right now are fighting to keep their schools open. At a “Save Our Schools” rally Wednesday, parents in attendance told ABC7 other Acero parents were too scared to show up, not knowing if they too could be separated from their families.
The rally was held outside of Tamayo Elementary in Gage Park, where many Acero parents were advocating to keep their schools open, outrage and heartbreak overwhelmed the crowd.
“Coming to our schools to grab parents from their families… it is a shame that we live in terror,” 25th Ward Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez said.
Parents already worried about their children’s schools possibly closing are now beside themselves over keeping their families safe and together.
“All they are doing is putting fear in us, putting fear in our community and in our children,” Acero parent Lucy Salgado said. “This is scarring for them.”
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