Judge orders ICE to remove fence outside Broadview processing center
3 arrested at protest outside ICE facility in Chicago suburb
ISP says three people were arrested Friday at a morning protest outside the ICE processing center in Broadview.
CHICAGO - A federal judge has ordered U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to dismantle a fence erected outside its west suburban Broadview processing center, siding with local officials who said it was built illegally.
What we know:
U.S. District Judge LaShonda Hunt issued a Temporary Restraining Order late Thursday requiring ICE to remove the fence by Friday. The order follows a motion filed by the Village of Broadview, which argued that ICE’s installation of the fence on a public street violated local ordinances and created safety hazards.
The fence, built on Sept. 23, was intended to protect the ICE facility during protests that have at times turned tense, with occasional clashes between demonstrators and federal agents.
What they're saying:
Broadview Mayor Katrina Thompson called the ruling "a validation of local law and, most importantly, a decisive win for public safety."
Federal agents prepare to open up the fencing gate outside the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement holding facility in Broadview, Illinois, on Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2025. (Antonio Perez/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
"The judge’s decision confirms that the illegal fence constructed by ICE is not only a clear defiance of Broadview’s ordinance but an unacceptable and escalating risk to our Beach Street businesses, their customers, and our first responders," Thompson said in a statement. "Now, it remains to be seen if ICE will respect the judge's order and dismantle this hazard immediately, or if they will continue their pattern of defiance."
Village of Broadview General Counsel Michael Del Galdo also released a statement.
"The court ruled that this unauthorized ICE fence in Broadview had to go, plain and simple. Its construction on the Village's land was causing harm because it was actively blocking Broadview Fire Department from doing its jobs—specifically, protecting the public's health, safety, and welfare. When you weigh the stakes, the decision was clear: the Village must have unrestricted access to its own property to enforce its powers, and, most importantly, the public interest demands that government agencies – even the federal government – follow the law, not break it."
Big picture view:
The Broadview processing center has been a flashpoint for protesters since President Donald Trumpov ramped up immigration enforcement in the Chicago area in recent weeks.
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The Source: The information in this story came from the Village of Broadview and Mayor Katrina Thompson, and the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.