On Saturday morning, the Oak Park Police Department received at least five reports of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity in the village. The reports came in between 8:56 a.m. and 9:37 a.m. Locations included the 500 block of N. Lombard, 800 block of S. Gunderson, 700 block of S. Elmwood, 1100 block of S. Gunderson, and 400 block of N. Euclid. When officers arrived at each location, they did not find any ICE agents present.
Police are investigating these reports. They are reviewing video footage and speaking with witnesses. The department stated that Oak Park officers respond to 911 calls on their own and are not accompanied by ICE agents. Officers do not ask about immigration status, detain people for immigration reasons, or assist with federal immigration investigations.
Oak Park Police follow the Illinois TRUST Act. This law prohibits local police from helping with federal immigration enforcement. Officers receive training on the TRUST Act and the Village’s Welcoming Ordinance. Their duties focus on state laws and local ordinances, not federal immigration laws…