Illinois Moves to Block ICE Detention Centers Near Schools and Homes

Illinois is taking a stand against the encroachment of ICE detention centers into neighborhoods, schools, and places of worship. The state House recently passed House Bill 5024, spearheaded by Speaker Emmanuel “Chris” Welch, aimed at banning the construction of immigration detention facilities within 1,500 feet of sensitive community spaces such as schools, daycares, private homes, and churches.

This legislation comes amid growing alarm over the psychological and physical toll these detention centers impose on local communities. Pastor Hannah Kardon of United Church of Rogers Park has witnessed firsthand the devastation caused by the ICE facility in Broadview, Illinois. She describes it as a "torture facility" that exposed nearby children and places of worship to tear gas during federal enforcement raids. Kardon bluntly states, “These detention facilities are horrors for the people inside them, and our eventual goal should be that absolutely none of them exist anywhere.”

Welch highlighted the destructive impact of the Broadview center on its surrounding community, noting the village has spent over $700,000 responding to disturbances linked to ICE’s “Operation Midway Blitz.” “These types of facilities shouldn’t be located within a neighborhood like that,” he said.

However, the bill does not apply retroactively, leaving existing centers like Broadview untouched. Opposition from House Republicans questioned the bill’s legal authority over federal operations, though Welch worked with the Attorney General’s office to shore up its constitutionality.

Immigrant rights advocates emphasize the bill’s importance beyond zoning. Angie Lopez of Latino Union of Chicago describes how the presence of these centers fuels fear and instability, causing community members to avoid work and events out of fear of sudden detention. “They have lost that sense of stability, and they don’t know if they’re going to be here from one day to the next,” Lopez said.

Amina Barhumi, executive director of the Illinois Muslim Civic Coalition, pointed to the racist history of federal immigration enforcement and the disproportionate targeting of Muslim communities. She called for a reimagining of public safety that does not rely on detention centers and the “surveillance apparatus” that accompanies them.

Both Lopez and Barhumi’s organizations are pushing for stronger protections and policies to ensure immigrant communities can live free from fear and thrive without the shadow of detention looming over their neighborhoods.

House Bill 5024 now awaits Senate approval. While it marks a meaningful first step, advocates insist it is only the beginning of a broader fight to dismantle the system of immigrant detention that terrorizes communities and erodes democratic values.

For communities on the front lines of ICE enforcement, this bill represents a crucial move toward dignity, safety, and justice. But the work to end the cruelty of immigration detention is far from over.