We hit Chicago to document Organized Communities Against Deportations’ struggles and resistance against policing, surveillance, criminalization & deportation.

In Chicago and surrounding areas, immigration raids are terrorizing entire communities. In May, ICE conducted a week-long raid operation that resulted in the detention of over 300 people.

This is not the only police force targeting our communities. The Chicago Police Department obtains about 40% of the city budget to fund policing of predominantly Black and Brown Chicagoans. While the Mayor claims “shortage of values” is to blame for the violence in our neighborhoods, our communities point to the disinvestment across the city and funding priorities for the Mayor and City Council as the culprit. There’s no money for our communities but the city can find $95 million for a Cop Academy. 

CPD is also responsible for using deceitful tactics such as the recently discovered “bait trucks” and the unconstitutional use of the Gang Database to target, harass and criminalize over 195,000 Chicago residents – including nearly 33,000 juveniles arrested over last two decades and labeled as gang members by Chicago police without proof or notification. 

Our movements are resisting this wave of policing, surveillance and criminalization in our city and beyond. Illinois Senator Dick Durbin sits on the appropriation committee, the same committee that approves the budget for DHS and is also responsible for funding of the Israeli state, despite its continuous human rights violations against Palestinians. Tactics, technology and weapons used in Palestine are also used by local law enforcement, ICE and Border Patrol agents to arrest, detain and disappear our families. 

On August 16, we joined OCAD to call to Abolish ICE, Defund Policing, and Stop the Surveillance of Our Communities. Resistance in Chicago looks like this!