A fence outside the Broadview ICE facility was taken down late Tuesday night, in accordance with a federal judicial order issued last week.
It was unclear whether the removal was temporary or permanent.
The removal complies with an order issued Friday by US District Judge LaShonda A. Hunt of the Northern District of Illinois, who set a temporary restraining order after finding that ICE had erected the fence on municipal property without getting necessary permissions, exceeding its authority.
“The law, including municipal law, applies even to the federal government,” said Village of Broadview Mayor Katrina Thompson in a statement.
“This is a victory for the rule of law in a country that is still a democracy,” Thompson said in the statement.
“And it is a victory for Broadview residents and businesses who depend on their municipal government to ensure public safety.”
Hunt ruled that ICE violated local safety codes by restricting first responders’ access and that the fence caused irreparable harm to public safety. The gate, which is 16 feet wide, is smaller than the 20-foot requirement set by the International Fire Code adopted by the village.
“DHS’s Beach Street gate creates a quasi-federal zone where the Village’s ability to respond to emergencies is hindered and only allows it to provide lifesaving services at the whims and fancies of the Federal Defendants,” the ruling stated.
Illinois State Police guarding the fence Tuesday night said they had no information about the fence, and one officer was overheard saying federal agents had given them no notice it would be removed.
Contributing: Kyra Senese
