Join us this Sunday for an Emergency Response "How to Help" Townhall!
Dear Neighbor,
It has been a challenging few weeks.
As I’m sure you have heard, there has been an increase in ICE activity in Belmont Cragin with several sightings reported through the Family Support Network (FSN) hotline. On Tuesday, five community members in Belmont Cragin, Hermosa, and Logan Square were detained while traveling to work, and on Wednesday and Thursday, there was a widespread presence of ICE across Northwest Side neighborhoods. The Northwest Side Rapid Response Team has been hard at work, responding to these ICE sightings to inform and protect our communities.
And we are outraged and mourning alongside the Franklin Park community in the aftermath of the devastating, unjust, and unlawful death of Silverio Villegas-Gonzalez by ICE agents on September 12.
Now more than ever, it’s important that we continue to look out for each other.
I was grateful to join the NWS Rapid Response Team, Palenque LSNA, ICIRR, the Latino Union of Chicago, Northwest Center, State Senator Graciela Guzman, Alderperson Jessie Fuentes, and State Rep. Lindsey LaPointe’s team on Thursday morning to address the recent federal activity in our neighborhoods and show solidarity and unity with our neighbors.
I know many are looking for ways to plug into this work to help protect and inform neighbors, so I hope you can join us this Sunday for an Emergency Response "How to Help" Townhall: Resisting ICE in Chicago.
Here are the details:
Sunday, September 21 from 11am to 2pm
Roosevelt High School Auditorium, 3436 W Wilson Ave
RSVP: bit.ly/nwsresponse
There will be English-to-Spanish live interpretation services and childcare. We also will be providing face masks to protect vulnerable neighbors, as we know immunizations for flu and Covid are just beginning to be released.
We also acknowledge great concern about bringing neighbors together in these uncertain times. We will have support from the Rapid Response Network to provide ICE Watch at the school as well as trained volunteers to maintain security at school entrances.
If you are unable to join us, please invite your neighbors.
And if you observe any ICE activity or are directly affected, please call the FSN hotline at 855-435-7693 for assistance.
All my best,
Will