A federal judge is expected to hear arguments today on the use of force by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) in the Chicago area, report Armando Garcia and James Hill of ABC News.
Lawyers for faith leaders and others who say they’ve been harmed while participating in lawful protests, as well as for journalists, will argue that ICE and CBP agents’ actions are "increasingly reckless and dangerous," Garcia and Hill report.
The federal government denies these allegations and says it is the agents who are facing increased danger from civilians. The judge will decide whether to extend restrictions on the use of force by the federal agents.
In another Chicago courtroom yesterday, a federal judge heard testimony on the conditions immigrant detainees face at the Broadview detention facility, reports Madeline Buckley of the Chicago Tribune.
"I don’t want anyone else to live what I lived through," former detainee Felipe Agustin Zamacona, a Mexican immigrant who has lived and worked in the U.S. for decades, said in his testimony. The judge is expected to issue an order today.
On a brighter note, Illinois lawmakers passed a bill last week that should protect immigrants in hospitals, schools and courthouses, reports Francia Garcia Hernandez of Block Club Chicago. Olivia Olander of the Chicago Tribune first reported on the development.
For courthouse enforcement photos each worth a thousand words, look at Reuters’ collection from inside New York immigration courts, most by David ‘Dee’ Delgado.
Welcome to Wednesday’s edition of The Forum Daily. I’m Dan Gordon, the Forum’s VP of Strategic Communications, and the great Forum Daily team also includes Marcela Aguirre, Masooma Amin, Jillian Clark and Clara Villatoro. If you have a story to share from your own community, please send it to me at [email protected].
A CALL FOR REFLECTION — With the Trump administration’s new refugee cap of 7,500 and shift in focus, fewer persecuted Christians and other religious minorities will be able to enter the United States, reports Harvest Prude of Christianity Today. American church communities involved in refugee resettlement are disappointed, she notes. Separately, Pope Leo called for deep reflection on the treatment of migrants in the United States, reports Yesim Dikmen of Reuters.
CITIZENSHIP — Salt Lake City has launched an initiative, "Future Citizens PATH," to help eligible immigrants pursue U.S. citizenship, reports Tim Vandenack of KLS.com. It is modeled after a program launched last year in Ogden, Utah, that provides civics and U.S. history classes, as well as legal services for naturalization. The program requires participants to do volunteer work upon completion.
PURSUING ANSWERS — The family of Randall Alberto Gamboa Esquivel is looking for answers after the Costa Rica native died following his deportation from the U.S., reports Armando Quesada Webb of El País. Garcia was in a vegetative state at the time he was deported.
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FLAVORS OF HOME — Venezuelan migrants who came to the United States for a safe life are opening businesses that bring the taste of Venezuela to their new homes, Su Ying Lee Yang writes in Borgen Magazine. "Our motto is: We cook everything as if you were home," said Daniela Avila Urdaneta, who opened Plátanos Venezuelan Food in Chicago. "We wanted to fill a need of the heart: a place where people can sit and remember Venezuela."
