Evanston has experienced an influx of activity from federal immigration agencies, with several community members taken by agents in September and October.
On Halloween, the Department of Homeland Security made at least eight arrests — including protesting citizens and those it said lacked legal status — across Evanston and Skokie, a DHS spokesperson confirmed to The Daily.
At the same time, the community has come together to protect one another. Residents blow whistles and honk car horns to alert the surrounding community of federal agent presence. The city has created ‘ICE free zones,’ and the Evanston Police Department built its response strategy to reported incidents. Groups are hosting Know Your Rights workshops and organizing protests against federal agents’ presence in Evanston.
At The Daily, we strive to be present at such events to capture them for those unable to attend. It is our utmost priority to do our part to keep everyone informed of what is happening in the city we call home.
On Oct. 21, The Daily published a live update thread to inform the Evanston and Northwestern community about credible reports of federal immigration enforcement in the city. On Oct. 27, we launched an interactive map alongside it.
These pages are updated as activity is confirmed by official local, state and federal government sources as well as through verified text alerts from the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights. According to ICIRR’s website, alerts are only issued when sightings are verified by an affiliated rapid response team.
We also work to verify videos and social media posts claiming ICE and U.S. Border Patrol activity in the city. We will also grant anonymity to community sources confirming these sightings when they request it.
In the spirit of transparency, we want to acknowledge that moving forward, our coverage may include more anonymous sources to ensure inclusive coverage of those who fear being targeted by federal agents. We are committed to keeping our community and our reporters safe as we navigate our coverage.
Our live reporting — providing only accurate, timely and verified reports on immigration enforcement — is part of our civic responsibility to our readers and fellow Evanston residents in these uncertain times. At the time of this editorial’s publication, there have been no credible reports of federal immigration activity on campus.
We know that many of our peers at NU do not follow Evanston news closely. We hope our ICE coverage helps bridge that gap.
At The Daily, we are students and we are journalists. But, above all, we are members of this community. We are committed to helping tell the city’s story as it navigates enforcement from federal immigration agencies and mobilizes in response. We are also committed to providing guidance to our readers about the legal resources and community initiatives available to them.
When the city first announced that federal immigration agents would arrive in Evanston in early September, we did something we’ve rarely done before: hyperlink external resources from the city in the body of our story. We continued doing so in subsequent coverage and listed the ICIRR Hotline number — 855-435-7693 — which individuals should call if they see federal immigration enforcement activity.
We cannot be passive in our coverage or report on these resources without empowering the community with the tools to access them. In light of this, we have put together a “Know Your Rights” special issue for our Nov. 5 print paper.
More than 20 Daily staffers have played a role in putting this collection of stories together. Included in this issue is information on your rights as it pertains to interactions with federal law enforcement, how to best film enforcement activity and resources for undocumented students. We also highlight how the Evanston community united in response to several incidents of immigration enforcement near Evanston/Skokie School District 65 schools.
The Daily has always been committed to detailed coverage. But now, we are giving our readers the tools to protect themselves and move forward.
If you have something you would like to share with The Daily regarding federal immigration activity or the community’s response, please reach out to our City Desk at [email protected].
This piece represents the majority opinion of the Editorial Board of The Daily Northwestern. The views expressed in this piece do not necessarily reflect the views of all staff members or Editorial Board members of The Daily Northwestern. If you would like to respond publicly to this editorial, send a Letter to the Editor to [email protected].
Related Stories:
— Live: Federal immigration agents active across Evanston on Friday
— Live: A map of ICE activity in Evanston
— Evanston community mobilizes amid increased ICE and Border Patrol enforcement on Halloween
