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Apr 24, 2007 11:32 pm US/Central
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Immigration Authorities Raid Little Village Mall
Several Agencies Target Counterfeit Document Ring
CBS 2's Rafael Romo and Dana Kozlov contributed to this report.
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
U.S. immigration authorities were searching businesses Tuesday afternoon in the predominantly Latino Little Village neighborhood on the Southwest Side. People took to the streets in protest of the raid.
As CBS 2's Rafael Romo reports, there was no confirmation of the events from immigration authorities but witnesses say as many as 160 people were arrested in the Little Village Plaza strip mall.
Anger, frustration and, ultimately, solidarity spilled into the streets of Little Village Tuesday afternoon. Chicago police only showed up after residents flooded 26th Stree and Albany Avenue. Participants held signs that said things like "no one is illegal."
Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents were apparently targeting a ring that counterfeits and sells immigration documents in the area. Many people complained that others who had nothing to do with counterfeiting were also arrested.
"Selling illegal papers to immigrants so we can work, basically. That's all we buy them for, is to work," said Little Village resident Luz Nolasco. "But apparently that's against the law and God forbid we help America!"
Several agencies participated in the raid and witnesses say they were heavily armed when they raided the businesses.
"They came out here and they had these big guns and they were looking for people under cars and in the stores," said witness Jesus Figueroa.
Witnesses say up to 200 agents stormed the mall, locking it down and asking everyone inside and in the parking lot for IDs.
"They told me they had more than 122 people in custody, but they let them go, mostly. They got in custody 18 people," Little Village resident Sandy Torres said friends told her.
Others have heard 16 people were taken into custody.
"Apparently they had 60 warrants. It appears that they rounded up over 160 people," said Fr. Brendan Curran of St. Pius Catholic Church. "They have 16 detained at this moment… we're not sure why."
"It's a show of force. We believe it was done to intimidate this community. We can't see it any other way," said Ald. George Cardenas (12th). "The number of people involved in this operation is just overwhelming."
Ald. Ricardo Munoz (22nd) called the operation overkill.
"It was way overkill. They had machine guns, shotguns, bullet-proof vests. It was a huge, huge endeavor," Munoz said. "They struck fear into the heart of the Little Village community.
The operation took the community and police by surprise.
When asked if federal agents tipped Chicago police off to the raid, Sgt. Fernando Garcia said, "Not at all. We're not privy to that."
Immigration authorities did not make any comments Tuesday afternoon. There will be a press conference early Wednesday to address questions about this raid. Representatives from the U.S. Attorney's Office, the FBI and Immigration and Customs Enforcement will be present. Some community residents are expected to protest there, calling for immigration reform.
(© MMVII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)