Border Patrol squashes anti-ICE blockade outside ICE facility in Illinois

BROADVIEW, Ill. — U.S. Border Patrol agents, under Commander at Large Gregory Bovino, dispersed protesters who were blocking the road that leads to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building near Chicago on Saturday.

The processing facility in Broadview has been heavily targeted in recent weeks by anti-ICE protesters in response to President Donald Trump ordering Operation Midway Blitz for the Chicago area. Until this past week, crowds have been able to form directly outside the facility, blocking the road and driveway in an attempt to prevent federal vehicles from entering or leaving.

ICE installed temporary security fencing down the road from the building to prevent protesters and rioters from getting close. On Saturday, another anti-ICE crowd formed by the security fence and had to be ordered to clear the road multiple times by Border Patrol.

During a lull in the confrontations, one woman was seen passing out large and small Mexican flags to protesters. The woman told Blaze News that someone else had come by to drop off the flags.

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Photo by Blaze News

After it became clear the crowd was not going to disperse and stop their attempts to impede federal law enforcement, Bovino and his agents came out for one final time to clear the crowd from the road. Agents used multiple canisters of tear gas, shot pepper balls, and confiscated homemade shields from the anti-ICE agitators.

Border Patrol made multiple arrests as the formation moved down the road.

President Trump shared Blaze News' video of the confrontations on Truth Social and said, "Border Patrol will take no nonsense!"

There were no major confrontations between agents and protesters at the facility on Sunday, perhaps because of the show of strength by Border Patrol the previous night. Plus, the protests at the Broadview facility have typically occurred on Fridays, though the reason is unclear. It remains to be seen how anti-ICE groups will adapt to the reinforcements sent by the Department of Homeland Security as Operation Midway Blitz is still under way.

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