What to Know
- A nationwide movement emerged to protest the new immigration policy & press the Trump administration to reunite families being separated.
- The "Families Belong Together" event in Chicago lasted three hours and ended at the ICE headquarters in downtown.
- Experts recommended wearing light and loose-fitting clothing and drinking plenty of water since Chicago is under an Excessive Heat Warning.
Thousands of locals marched the streets of Chicago Saturday as part of a nationwide movement to protest the new immigration policy and press the Trump administration to reunite families being separated at the U.S.-Mexico border.
Several organizations united to organize the "Families Belong Together" event that lasted three hours, beginning at the Richard J. Daley Center and ending at the ICE offices in downtown.
According to the Chicago Tribune, organizers mentioned they would be rallying at the Daley Plaza but declined to release details regarding the route due to safety concerns.
Thousands of Chicagoans Took to the Streets to Protest Zero-Tolerance Immigration Policy
At noon, organizers announced the rally would march toward the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement offices at 101 W. Congress Pkwy.
Road closures were expected to take place as well, as CPD tweeted actively throughout the event to ensure locals were well aware of their presence.
"Traffic closures & significant delays expected as Immigration March prepares to step off near Daley Plaza," tweeted Police Officer Anthony Guglielmi. "@Chicago_Police officers are on hand to ensure a safe demonstration."
Chicago is just one of more than 600 organized #FamiliesBelongTogether marches Saturday across the country. Attendees all over the U.S. were asked to wear white in solidarity.
According to the Chicago event's official Facebook page, about 16,000 people partook in Saturday’s rally.
Local
Temperatures in the Windy City have been in the mid-90s with a ‘real feel’ of about 105 to 115 degrees. Since the National Weather Service issued an Excessive Heat Warning Friday until Saturday night, experts recommended wearing light and loose-fitting clothing and emphasized hydration is key.
A medical tent was expected at the site, along with a cooling center at 77 W. Washington St., at the First United Methodist Church.
The nationwide rallies emerged after a recent ruling this week requiring the government to reunify families separated at the border, means authorities can legally keep families detained until their cases are complete.
The interpretation means immigrant families could spend months or even years in detention — even those seeking asylum — because of a years-long backlog in immigration court.
