Federal hearing over alleged inhumane conditions inside Broadview ICE facility happening Tuesday
By Marissa Sulek, Darius Johnson
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CHICAGO (WBBM) — The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is firing back at a lawsuit detailing allegations of inhumane conditions inside the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center in Broadview.
Last week, a lawsuit was filed claiming inhumane conditions at the facility in Broadview and how the people inside don’t have access to their attorneys. Now, it is up to a federal judge who has the power to close the facility if he sees fit.
Both sides were set to appear in federal court for a hearing on Tuesday.
The facility has been at the center of immigration enforcement, arrests, protests, and political pressure for nearly two months. Advocates say detainees lack clean spaces, legal access, and basic needs — while the government insists the facility meets standards.
In a new filing spanning dozens of pages, federal attorneys defended conditions inside, saying detainees get three meals a day, water, foil blankets, and phone access. The federal government also argued that shutting down the facility would paralyze ICE operations across six states.
“If the judge finds this is not a humane place, it’s inhumane — he has the power to actually shut it down,” legal analyst Irv Miller said.
Miller said the federal judge has all day to listen to live testimony, including two people recently detained who will be brought back to testify.
Miller said the judge has the power to stop all immigration enforcement actions on Chicago area streets if he sees fit.
“Homeland Security would have no place to process these detainees. So I’m sure tonight, just in case they lose, they are looking for alternative places that they could do processing of the people they are detaining,” he said.
On Monday night, dozens of people came to a Broadview Village Board meeting, only to be told to leave after they spoke out of turn.
Many protesters outside the Broadview facility attended and were upset that a tent they had up there for supplies was taken down by the village.
“Then you started firing chemicals at us. You left us defenseless, and then you opened fire like cowards,” Ian Perry said.
People who live and work in the village quickly fired back.
“None of you live in Broadview, yet you are going to demand your First Amendment rights contrary to my rights,” Matthew Ames said.
Broadview Mayor Katrina Thompson was making her remarks at the end to clear the chamber and told everyone to leave after she said people continued to talk over her. It was the second time in two weeks that the meeting had to end early.
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