News Local/State

Immigration Forum Rallies In Response To Reports Of Local ICE Raids

by Jeff Bossert
 
Members of the CU Immigration Forum rally outside the federal courthouse in Urbana Friday.

Members of the CU Immigration Forum rally outside the federal courthouse in Urbana Friday. Jeff Bossert/Illinois Public Media

The Champaign-Urbana community is speaking out against reported Immigration raids in the past couple of weeks. Members of the CU Immigration Forum says Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, have targeted unspecified locations in the area at least twice this month. About 40 people rallied outside the federal courthouse in Urbana Friday.

Forum member Ben Mueller says the Trump Administration has offered no proof that detaining those living in the US without authorization makes the region safer.

Mueller questions the cost as well.

“It’s been reported that we have invested in the country – $150 million – just in intelligence gathering of the undocumented," he said. "How is that that a good investment? It’s not. And how are we protecting the rights of the people involved?”

University of Illinois Latino/Latina Studies professor Gilberto Rosas says Champaign-Urbana has long had a reputation as welcoming community, and these raids conducted by ICE are threatening that

“We want sanctuary," he said. "We want Latinos and other immigrant communities to feel welcome, to feel safe, to live their life – like they long have.”

The CU Immigration Forum says it’s looking for alternative ways to provide sanctuary, or protection for those without legal status in the US.