That’s a question I ask myself every day when I think about the present state of America. And I am certain that a lot of Americans feel as I do: shellshocked from the latest news that we receive from our TVs, radios, and phones every day. However, I also feel encouraged when I see average Americans standing up and taking action to stop what is happening in communities across the nation. As citizens, we realize that we have to deal with the most important issues first: the immigration raids known as “Operation Midway Blitz” and the lack of Congress to pass a continuing resolutions bill to fund the government.
Operation Midway Blitz has frightened both young and old in communities throughout the state because we can look back at history and see the resemblance between what happened in Germany during World War II and what is happening right before our eyes. Rapid response teams (neighbor-to-neighbor solidarity) have formed to warn neighbors of ICE sightings and document unlawful activity in neighborhoods throughout Chicagoland. The unlawful activity involves targeting minorities and asking to see their papers, throwing people to the ground and detaining them for asking to see a warrant, breaking windows and pulling people out of cars for videotaping the actions of ICE agents. These actions are taking place in Kane County right under our nose. Numerous people who are trying to go to work have been pulled from cars in Elgin, Aurora, Carpentersville, West Chicago, and other towns and “disappeared” into the system without relatives knowing how to find out what happened to them. Many are deported without ever seeing a lawyer. Sometimes they are sent to countries that are not their home countries without due process of law.
ICE agents have pepper-sprayed communities, including members of the press and Chicago police officers in Broadview who were trying to keep order. On Saturday, October 26, ICE officers in Aurora pulled a rapid response team member from a car and pepper-sprayed that person and her husband and threw them to the ground, which led to a trip to the hospital for the rapid response team member. On the same day, ICE pepper-sprayed people on a street in Chicago (3700 block of Kildare Avenue) where families nearby were preparing for a Halloween parade. These actions were in violation of a TROs (temporary restraining order) issued by Judge Sara Ellis when citizens, clergy, and journalists filed a complaint earlier in federal court about the violence and tear gas used in Chicago neighborhoods. The TROs issued on October 9th and expanded on October 16th specified limitations on the use of tear gas, especially regarding neighborhoods, journalists, and protesters who are nonviolent. Judge Ellis also required that agents have identifying numbers on their clothing, wear body cameras, and give two warnings before throwing canisters of tear gas. When the plaintiffs presented video evidence that the TRO was being ignored and whole neighborhoods were still being tear-gassed, Judge Ellis went through each part of the TRO with Commander Greg Bovino at a hearing on October 28th. The judge told Bovino that her orders were not being followed and required him to appear before her at 6 p.m. from Wednesday to Friday to discuss daily compliance of his agents with the TRO. She also required that information on people arrested for protesting and all use-of-force reports and body camera videos going back to September 2nd be turned in at the end of the week.
However, one day later, the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals temporarily suspended the requirement that Bovino meet with the judge daily, but the other requirements about agents wearing body cameras and identification and restrictions on tear gas are still in effect.
What action can we take in Kane County? We can follow through and hold ICE accountable just like the citizens of Broadview did. Jesse Fuentes, a Chicago alderperson, is filing a federal lawsuit against the U.S. government for damages after she was grabbed and handcuffed by ICE when she asked if they had a warrant to be at a hospital and arrest someone who was injured by ICE. Other individuals and the ACLU of Illinois have also filed lawsuits citing the violation of constitutional rights. The right to protest our government’s actions in a peaceful manner is guaranteed by the Constitution.
Fortunately, we have strong leaders in Illinois. Governor Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson have stood up to the federal government. Governor Pritzker stated that agents are arresting individuals “based on race or skin color” and set up a new commission last week to record civil rights abuses by federal agents and hold them accountable. Targeting minorities seems to be case since ICE agents were seen at O’Hare and Midway asking for papers in rideshare lots. Major Brandon Johnson issued an executive order stopping agents from using land owned by Chicago to stage immigration raids. Cities in the suburbs have followed this action, making it more difficult for ICE to carry out its activities. On October 28th, citizens in Batavia filled the room at the city council committee meeting, which discussed issuing an ordinance forbidding ICE to use city-owned property for their staging and enforcement operations. The council determined that the city has the legal right under the separation of powers to decide how to control its own property. It is the responsibility of local government to ensure the rights and liberty of people in the community. Thirty-nine people supported drafting the ordinance; only two were in support of ICE. The meeting was emotional with citizens sharing their concern for neighbors and friends. People of all ages, including a 14-year-old high-school student, spoke about their fear and uneasiness about what is happening in America and how we need to stand up as a community just as Batavia citizens did in the 1850s when the government passed the Fugitive Slave Act. Instead of helping the government catch slaves, Batavia citizens formed an Abolitionist Society and were part of the Underground Railroad, which hid slaves and helped them go on to Canada. The residents agreed that we want to be on the “right side of history” when people look back at this time period.
Another issue that is affecting every state in the Union is the failure of the government to pass a continuing resolution to fund the government and reopen government offices. The Republicans have made severe budget cuts to government programs in the last few months, including laying off thousands of government workers, in order to provide $4 trillion in tax breaks to wealthy Republicans. Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” will take healthcare away from millions of people and raise costs for millions more. There are significant cuts to Medicaid, the Affordable Care Act, marketplace coverage, and SNAP. Presently, Democrats are asking Trump and the Republicans to meet with them. Democrats want the expiring tax credits that bring down the cost of health insurance to be restored, so that premiums do not double or triple. They also want the cuts to Medicaid reversed so that seniors, people with disabilities, and low-income Americans have insurance. President Trump and the Republican members of Congress have left the Capitol and refuse to meet and negotiate with Democrats until the Democrats pass the continuing resolution to fund the government. If the Democrats give in, there is no guarantee that the Republicans will restore any of the healthcare cuts that were slashed in the “Big Beautiful Bill.”
Many government services are currently suspended, and about 1.4 million federal workers have been furloughed or are working without pay. On November 1st, the money for food stamps (SNAP) will run out, and the 41 million people who depend on supplemental food to make ends meet will go hungry. Recently, federal workers and military families who have not received checks have been lining up at food banks. Since January, the Trump administration has cut federal agencies and slashed the number of workers. Trump is threatening to permanently dismiss many workers if Democrats do not give into his demands. In early October, Trump tried to cut 4,000 workers, but these actions were blocked by a federal judge. Only a few Republicans are brave enough to stand up to Trump. One of them is Marjorie Taylor Greene who seems concerned about her constituents who use the ACA subsidies to bring down healthcare costs and her constituents in Georgia who are concerned about tariffs affecting their businesses. Unlike her other colleagues, Greene is not afraid to speak her mind. No one knows how this conflict will end, but many Democrats are insisting that the Democratic Party stand their ground this time. Until there is a resolution, we need to reach out and help people who need food. Each day, we can stand up for the people in our community who are afraid to leave their homes because of the color of their skin. And we can attend city and county meetings and join together to make our downtown areas and parks safe spaces that everyone can enjoy. Judge Ellis is right: Children in a Halloween parade should not be exposed to tear gas!
Sources
www.pbs.org. “Appeals Court Blocks Judge’s Order Requiring Daily Briefings in Chicago,” Oct. 29, 2025.
https://www.wbez.org. “Border Patrol’s Bovino Agrees to Return to Court Daily,” October 23, 2025.
www.usatoday.com. “Government Shutdown Latest: Senators Scramble as SNAP Benefits Set to Expire for 1st Time.
https://www.newsweek.com. “Marjorie Taylor Greene Accused of Betraying Trump by Top MAGA Influencer,” Oct. 22, 2025