Man Says ICE Agents Tried To Pick Up His Wife Friday In Chicago
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Immigration raids are planned in Chicago and across the country this weekend, and some say they are already happening.
Many churches in and around Chicago are gearing up for the removal operations that they say will separate families. Therefore, they will open their doors to immigrants with questions or those separated from loved ones.
It's a reality one family in Chicago almost experienced, according to Cidronio Martinez, who tells CBS 2 agents tried to pick up his wife Friday.
"She was scared," he said.
Martinez describes how his wife felt when Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents went to their home Friday with an order of deportation after she apparently missed an immigration court hearing in May.
"I think the point is to scare people and terrorize people," said attorney Chris Bergin.
According to Bergin, the family's lawyer, the immigrant woman and her child, who preferred not to share their identities, crossed the border in 2018.
Because the husband is a citizen, he petitioned for them to receive permanent residence.
In June they received a letter stating that she would be deported for missing her court date.
However, they allege they never received a prior letter. On July 2 the family lawyer motioned to have the case reviewed, which froze the deportation. The family attorney said ICE agents didn't have the updated details.
"When I talked to the officer he said that doesn't appear in the system. That's a big problem. That's a big mistake," said Bergin.
The presence of ICE agents worried some of the neighbors.
"We feel outrage for what happened," said neighbor Bonn Wade. "Feel love for the family. We say ,'No, this is not going to happen.'"
The woman and her child were apparently close to being deported. Because of these types of cases the LULAC organization will be available at the Lincoln Methodist Church in Waukegan Saturday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
