Chicago, IL – on Friday morning, January 23, nearly 100 people packed into Casa Michoacan for a press conference and rally. In solidarity with the broad coalition shutting down the Twin Cities that same day, speakers demanded the conviction of Jonathan Ross for murdering Renee Good, ICE out of Minnesota, and no more federal funding for ICE.

Speakers connected the crimes of ICE in Minnesota with the terror they have inflicted across the country, specifically mentioning the murders of Keith Porter Jr in Los Angeles and Silverio Villegas Gonzalez in Franklin Park, IL.

“It’s about time that we recognize in our neighbors faces that we are part of one body of one nation. And if one of us is missing, then all of us are missing,” declared Marién Casillas-Pabellón, executive director of the West Suburban Action Project (PASO).

“Minnesota, we stand with you. We have cried with you, and we will not let the tears be the end of it. Because we have power.” Casillas-Pabellón added.

Like the actions in Minnesota, the press conference represented a wide coalition of organizations that fight for working and oppressed people. Representatives shared actions they would be taking to bring the demands to local elected officials and branches of corporations.

“Outrage alone does not change conditions. Organizing does,” said Genie Kastrup, president of Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 1.

Kobi Guillory, a middle school science teacher and executive board member of the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU), spoke about actions CTU, SEIU, and other organizations would be taking against Target that afternoon.

“Our siblings in the Minneapolis Federation of Educators are protesting Target for their complicity with ICE abductions in their stores. We will be out at ten different Targets around the city today,” Guillory explained. Target in particular is under fire after two Target employees were kidnapped from a Target store in Minnesota while the corporation refused to protect them.

“There’s power in this room and there’s power in the streets. We won’t stand idly by as they separate families,” affirmed Veronica Castro, Deputy Director of the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR). Castro and other speakers encouraged listeners to take action by joining organizations in preparation for further ICE escalation.

“If CBP tries to come in thousands then our response has to be just as organized, just as widespread, and just as ready,” said Any Huamani, immigration defense coordinator with Brighton Park Neighborhood Council.

Organizers affirmed their commitment to fight to abolish ICE, defeat the Trump agenda, and create a better world.

“We won’t let Trump take us back to 1850, nor will we go back to 2015. We will keep fighting until our children have the safe, just, fully funded communities they deserve,” Guillory proclaimed.

#ChicagoIL #IL #ImmigrantRights #Labor #CTU #SEIU #ICIRR #PASO #ReneeGood #AlexPretti

Chicago, IL – The Coalition Against the Trump Agenda (CATA) and the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR) mobilized more than 500 people on Saturday, September 27, to protest and march against the Trump administration’s ramped up attacks from the Department of Immigration and Custom Enforcement (ICE).

The protest took place in Daley Plaza, directly across from the office of Cook County States Attorney Eileen Burke, who was a primary target of the protest, organizers said. Top of the protest’s list of demands for Burke is charging the ICE officers involved in the recent murder of Silverio Villegas-Gonzalez, who was killed in an altercation resulting from a traffic stop shortly after he had dropped his daughter off at school in the nearby suburb of Franklin Park.

Additionally, protesters demanded Burke close and launch an investigation into the Broadview ICE Staging Facility, where detainees are being held for days and sometimes weeks with no access to beds, showers, menstrual products or adequate meals. Recent protests attempting to stop ICE vehicles from leaving the Broadview facility with deportees have faced increasing violence from ICE, including the use of pepper balls and tear gas.

In contrast to Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, who has stood up to Trump’s bully tactics by defending the Sanctuary City Ordinance and ordering Chicago Police Department not to work with ICE, Eileen Burke has said that she will cooperate with ICE in prosecuting immigrants.

While Johnson’s defense of Immigrants and large protests in Chicago have limited some ICE activity in the city, the surrounding suburbs have been hit hard. The United States Palestinian Community Network (USPCN) and the Arab American Action Network (AAAN) have been working with ICIRR to develop and expand multilingual rapid response networks in those suburbs that have large Arab and Latine populations.

Veronica Castro, deputy director of ICIRR, addressed the crowd and said their rapid response teams are working constantly to train families on their rights and monitor ICE activity.

“There are hundreds, if not thousands of folks that would be here with us right now if they weren't out doing the critical work making sure our communities are safe,” she said.

Castro reminded the crowd that if anyone sees ICE in their neighborhood, they should contact ICIRR's family support hotline at (855) 435-7693.

Nazek Sankari, a leading organizer with USPCN, described the importance of the door-to-door outreach in vulnerable neighborhoods. “The harassment of our communities by Trump is meant to fracture, intimidate and frighten us, but it has failed,” Sankari said.

“Instead it has mobilized our multilingual communities to organize and rise together stronger than ever to protect one another. We in Chicago will never abandon our people, and we will never back down in the face of racists and white supremacists.”

Sankari also connected the fight against ICE to the struggle of the Palestinian people against the Zionist, apartheid state of Israel, and said Trump’s attacks will not distract the movement from the U.S. support for the ongoing genocide in Gaza.

In her first week in office, Burke pardoned an officer the day before he was meant to go to court for assaulting a teen in Oak Lawn. “Burke failed to protect our communities from harm when, in her first week in office, she dropped charges against racist white Oak Lawn Police Officer Patrick O'Donnell,” Sankari said. In 2021, O’Donnell and two other cops beat then-17-year old Palestinian youth Hadi Abuatelah within an inch of his life.

Burke has also reversed efforts by the previous states attorney to free some survivors of torture. The rally embraced the demand of the Campaign to Free Incarcerated Survivors of Torture (CFIST) to free the wrongfully convicted.

“Eileen Burke has made it clear from day one where she stands,” said Jasmine Smith, co-chair of the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, and a leader of the CFIST campaign. “She does not stand on the side of justice.”

Burke has limited the ability of the wrongful convictions unit within the SAO to investigate and reverse the hundreds of cases of wrongful conviction that have earned Chicago the title of torture capital of the United States.

“If she’s not going to do her job, it’s up to us to get her out of her position,” Smith said, urging the crowd to keep up the fight against Trump and those like Burke who greenlight his attacks against our communities. “We will win!”

Smith also pushed back on the racist narratives that scapegoat immigrants. “They say that these illegal immigrants should not be here, but we say that no one is illegal on stolen land,” she said.

As protesters marched through downtown, they were repeatedly met with cheers and pumped fists of support from bystanders.

One protester, Chis Ziegler said, “I’m here to protest what ICE is doing. They have been taking people off the streets.” He continued, “I like that the protest encourages people to join organizations. We need a coordinated effort.”

#ChicagoIL #IL ImmigrantRights #ICIRR #CATA

Chicago, IL – On September 9, 3200 people from across Chicago came together to protest the heightened ICE operations in the area in what is dubbed “Operation Midway Blitz.” This protest was organized by both the Coalition Against the Trump Agenda (CATA) and the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR). The mobilization showed a powerful resistance against ICE and possible National Guard in Chicago. 

It is our turn to resist!

“What is happening is terrible for all of our neighbors and families,” said a member of Anakbayan Chicago and Tanggol Migrante Network. “The fact that I see all of you here today taking the time and energy shows me the true power of the people, with more education, more collaboration, and a concerted effort we can push back against the administration, push back against ICE, and begin to address critically the root causes of migration.”

The progressive mayor of Chicago, Brandon Johnson, has taken a public stand against Trump with many statements showcasing his opposition. He has thoroughly defended the sanctuary city status of Chicago. Two weeks ago, he also signed an executive order that seeks to limit federal agents activities in Chicago by banning the use of face masks by agents, something which ICE agents are notorious for.

The protest continued to echo the power of visible resistance and how, despite communities being in fear, coming out to show solidarity is important. A representative from Centro de Trabajadores stated, “When ICE and this administration changes their tactics, we change our strategy and we organize and we fight back. She continued, “We need to come out and continue to stand up against the actions they continue to do to harass us in our own communities.”

“The same states attorney that refuses to charge criminal cops for their abuse against our people also refuses to free those tortured and wrongfully convicted, and is now expressing a willingness to work with the racist Trump administration in carrying out their campaign of terror,” said Alec Ozawa, co-chair of the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (CAARPR). He highlighted how Eileen O’Neill Burke, the new Illinois states attorney has expressed a willingness to work with Donald Trump and go back to a policy of conservative prosecuting.

Rania Salem from the Arab American Action Network (AAAN) highlighted Trump's recent threats to deploy the National Guard against Chicago, stating, “He threatens us with war, lies about it, and then verbally attacks a reporter who calls him out because he is exactly who we say he is, a racist, sexist moron who continues to control a political party and political system that is rotten to the core.” 

Salem continued, “In the past two months we have seen brave resistance from LA, DC, Miami, New York and New Jersey and now it is our turn!”

After the program of speakers, thousands marched in the loop, chanting, “Chinga la migra!” and “Adelante, adelante, la lucha es constante!”

Join the resistance!

Donald Trump so far has been unsuccessful in deploying the National Troops to Chicago. Our movements and these mobilizations play a key role in that. This is the power of people daring to struggle, taking to the streets and fighting back! Anyone interested in getting involved or learning more about the movement against Trump can check out CATA at: https://www.coalitionagainsttrumpagenda.org/ 

#ChicagoIL #IL #ImmigrantRights #CATA #ICIRR #CAARPR #AAAN #CDT

Chicago, IL – On September 6, 8000 Chicagoans rallied and marched downtown to demand that no federal troops be deployed in the city.

The demonstration, led by the Coalition Against the Trump Agenda (CATA) in partnership with the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR), showed broad opposition to the incoming illegal military occupation and made clear that Chicagoans are not afraid to exercise their democratic right to resist.

No Trump, no troops

“The Trump administration has been escalating their illegal attacks on the city,” said Veronica Castro, ICIRR’s deputy director.

Castro described recent incidents of ICE activity, emboldened by the incoming federal forces, including masked agents targeting the domestic violence courthouse for arrests.

“We saw just this morning they chased someone down at a supermarket while they were out shopping with their family,” Castro said. “But we aren’t here to just name what is happening, we are here to show what we are going to do about it!”

”We need to make that criminal in the White House hear us,” said Kobi Guillory of the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (CAARPR). “We need to make those terrorists, those criminals, those troops, who are here to harass and arrest our Black and brown babies, we need to shake their boots, until they get the fuck out of this city!”

Guillory continued, “Right now, when there are troops coming to attack our Black and brown children, we have to fight. We have to stand up together, and we have to fight. Because we cannot hide our heads in the sand, we can’t hide from this situation. We have to stand up, and fight back!”

Nazek Sankari, representing the Chicago Coalition for Justice in Palestine (CJP), stated, ”These racists are at it again, coming here to Chicago, in an attempt to punish one of the U.S.’s most progressive cities with one of the most progressive mayors, who emerged from the fighting CTU [Chicago Teachers Union] and the people’s movement,” Sankari said.

Sankari continued, “Our communities, organizations, big institutions, union and workers, immigrants and Black Liberation leaders all refuse to bow down to their white supremacist agenda! We will continue fighting for our neighbors, and our communities!”

After the rally, protesters marched north on Michigan Avenue, chanting “Chicago isn’t licking boots, no Trump no troops!, “All power to the people, no human is illegal!” and “Donald Trump you racist clown, troops ain’t welcomed in this town!” The protesters passed various federal buildings and the Trump Tower, making themselves visible and loud.

Fight Trump’s escalating attacks against working and oppressed people

That same day in the morning, Trump had tweeted out an AI image of himself in front of a burning Chicago, writing, “I love the smell of deportations in the morning. Chicago about to find out why it’s called the Department of WAR.”

The picture used imagery of the 1979 film, Apocalypse Now, a film set in the U.S. invasion of Vietnam. The image also has Trump wearing a Confederate hat. Trump is open about his racist agenda. He has openly declared war on the working and oppressed peoples of Chicago.

Yet as the attacks from the ruling class are escalating, the progressive Brandon Johnson administration continues to take a fighting stance against Trump. Johnson signed an executive order barring the Chicago Police Department from working with ICE or federal troops and has called on Chicagoans to take to the streets to protest what is an illegal military occupation.

On the ground, the Coalition Against the Trump Agenda (CATA) is organizing and mobilizing thousands of people to build the broadest possible unity against Trump. The coalition needs you: join the resistance! Join CATA and stay up to date for mobilizations at https://www.coalitionagainsttrumpagenda.org/

#ChicagoIL #IL #InJusticeSystem #ImmigrantRights #Trump #CATA #ICIRR

Chicago, IL – On January 20, the day of Donald Trump’s inauguration and Martin Luther King Day, members of the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) joined over 80 organizations to protest Trump’s plans for mass deportations.

2500 protesters gathered in Chicago’s Federal Plaza, bundled to protect themselves from frigid temperatures with below zero windchill. Chants included, “When immigrants’ rights are under attack, what do we do? Stand up, fight back!”

Dr. Diane Castro, 18 year veteran teacher and chair of CTU’s Early Childhood Committee, tied the fight for immigrant rights with the union’s ongoing contract campaign. Contract negotiations between CTU and Chicago Public Schools have now extended more than six months beyond the expiration of the prior contract in June 2024, in part due to delays from Chicago Public Schools CEO Pedro Martinez.

Castro stated, “We are fighting for a contract that protects the rights of the educators, students and families from Project 2025, and that includes strengthened language for LGBTQIA students and sanctuary schools.”

Castro’s statements reflect years of efforts from CTU’s leadership and rank and file to organize themselves against deportations and other threats towards immigrant students and families. For example, the contract won by CTU in 2019 states that “except by a court order, CPS shall not disclose to ICE any information regarding the immigration status of any CPS student.”

More recently, the CTU has ramped up education on immigrant defense for its members and communities with a Sanctuary Series that began in December and will run until February. The series includes “Know Your Rights” and sanctuary schools trainings. Previous sessions in January and February have been attended by hundreds of teachers and parents.

Such measures go towards the goal of CTU President Stacy Davis Gates and the union to create a “force field around our school communities” against Project 2025. The union has pressed for an urgent resolution to the contract issue given Trump’s agenda.

In addition to the contact campaign and internal education, CTU leaders recently spoke out alongside immigrant rights organizations such as Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR) to defend Chicago’s status as a sanctuary city.

An ordinance was recently drafted for the city council floor by Alderpersons Raymond Lopez and Silvana Tabares that, if passed, would have allowed Chicago police to aid Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in certain deportation cases. After protest from immigrant rights groups, progressive aldermen such as Jessie Fuentes and Byron Sigcho Lopez, and progressive leaders such as those in CTU, the council denied the ordinance from coming up for discussion in a vote of 39-11.

Despite threats from Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, that ICE raids would begin in Chicago on day one, the city has not yet seen any raids as of Wednesday.

“We showed that Chicago is going to unite and fight back for immigrants and all oppressed communities,” said Kobi Guillory, a member of CTU and co-chair of the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (CAARPR), one of the convening organizations of the January 20 protest.

The call for solidarity across Chicago’s communities was repeated throughout the protest. As Dr. Diane Castro said, “I remind you that we have done this before, and we will survive it again, but only if we stand together.”

#ChicagoIL #IL #Labor #ImmigrantRights #Trump #CTU #ICIRR #Feature