Summary: Authorities arrested 21 demonstrators, including faith leaders, during a protest outside the Broadview Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility near Chicago. The demonstration, which called for an end to aggressive immigration enforcement, escalated into scuffles that left four police officers injured.
A protest led by faith leaders outside the Broadview ICE processing center in Illinois ended in confrontation on November 14, 2025, with 21 people detained by Illinois State Police and Cook County Sheriff’s officers The Kathmandu Post Chicago Sun-Times ABC7 Chicago. The demonstration was part of a broader campaign against what activists describe as immigration “abductions” in the Chicago area.
Among those arrested was Michael Woolf, minister at Lake Street Church of Evanston, who was photographed being taken into custody The Kathmandu Post. The protest began peacefully but tensions rose after demonstrators moved beyond their designated zone, leading to shoving and clashes with law enforcement ABC7 Chicago.
The Cook County Sheriff’s Office confirmed the arrests but did not immediately release details on charges. Officials reported that four officers sustained injuries during the confrontation Chicago Sun-Times ABC7 Chicago.
The Broadview facility has become a focal point for immigration protests in recent months. Faith leaders and activists have repeatedly gathered outside to demand access to detainees and to highlight concerns about conditions inside. Earlier demonstrations included attempts to deliver communion to migrants, which ICE denied The Loyola Phoenix The New York Sun.
Friday’s arrests underscore the growing friction between immigration authorities and religious groups advocating for detainees. The incident also comes amid heightened scrutiny of federal enforcement practices, with recent court rulings limiting crowd-control tactics such as the use of tear gas The Kathmandu Post.
The Broadview protest reflects intensifying tensions over immigration enforcement in Chicago, with faith leaders at the forefront of calls for more humane treatment of detainees.
Demonstrations and protests against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Broadview Ice Facility, Picture by Paul Goyette
