CHICAGO – A photograph published in the November 1 Chicago Tribune shows a federal immigration officer pointing a gun at a crowd of onlookers in Evanston watching the enforcement activities. The photo’s caption indicates that the officer pointed the weapon –presumed to be loaded – at least twice. In response to this event, the ACLU of Illinois released the following statement:
The photograph in the November 1st Chicago Tribune of a federal immigration officer pointing a loaded weapon at Evanston residents who gathered to watch their activities is disturbing, but not surprising. Over the past few weeks, photographs and videos have shown federal officers pointing weapons, discharging tear gas, using physical force and engaging in profane verbal altercations directed at bystanders across Chicagoland – all because these people oppose the Trump Administration’s immigration activities. It is sad that this follows a week in which the DHS Secretary refused to pause these reckless and increasingly violent activities for Halloween – when our streets should be filled with children trying to have fun – and Dia de los Muertos, Day of the Dead, a revered indigenous tradition that has evolved to blend with Catholic All Saints’ and All Souls’ Days.
The repeated incidents of overreaction and excessive force by officers suggests strongly that the federal government has armed masked officers and deployed them on our streets without appropriate training – especially in the use of de-escalation tactics – and then fail to provide appropriate oversight of these officers while on duty. Without training and oversight, the risk is growing that someone will be killed or seriously injured.
The Trump Administration should withdraw these officers from Chicago and elsewhere across the country until the public can be assured that they can conduct their roles in a professional and competent manner. The current situation only invites disaster and further violence. It is time for leaders in the Trump Administration to take immediate steps to de-escalate this situation. They are the ones using dangerous weapons and tactics in our neighborhoods. They must take steps to cool the tensions.