When a Blue Island resident was detained Tuesday morning near the city’s Vermont Street Metra station by federal immigration enforcement officers, local police responded to assist the man’s family, officials said.
Blue Island officials said Thursday a resident was detained by federal immigration enforcement officers Tuesday morning in the area of Vermont Street and Irving Avenue in Blue Island. They said after receiving reports of possible Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity they confirmed that federal agents conducted a stop in the area.
Officials also said Blue Island police assisted the family of the detained person by ensuring the safety of family members, helping them recover important documents from their vehicle and making sure the vehicle was not towed.
“The city of Blue Island remains committed to the safety and well-being of all residents while respecting the jurisdiction of federal authorities,” an official said Thursday.
Officials said local law enforcement was not involved in the federal stop.
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Blue Island police Chief Jason Slattery said he saw five officers dressed in olive drab vests take a man into custody, leaving behind the man’s car in a no-parking, tow away zone when he arrived on the scene at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday.
Slattery said he told officers not to ticket or tow the car left behind. He also said he helped the wife of the detained man call a locksmith for assistance to get into the vehicle, as the woman could not unlock the vehicle because her husband, now detained, had the keys.
Alejandra Barbosa, a Blue Island resident, said she waited with the woman for the locksmith to arrive, during which she said a few advocates arrived with information for a free lawyer to help the woman’s husband.
In a post shared publicly on Facebook, Barbosa thanked the Blue Island Police Department and chief for the department’s help in keeping the woman safe.
“I hate this happened to them and all the other families going through this,” Barbosa said in the post.
On Wednesday, Blue Island officials reshared on social media the city’s January statement that local police will not participate in federal immigration enforcement activities. Blue Island police will instead focus on community safety, according to the statement.
“The City of Blue Island’s greatest strength is its diversity. We value and will work to protect every family and child in our community,” the online statement said. “We will continue to uphold the state laws that protect all of the families who live, work, and contribute to the thriving fabric of Illinois.”
The city also recommended in the post that families know their rights and have a plan in place. The city also attached an advisory describing a family emergency plan from the Immigrant Legal Resource Center to the post.