United States | News & Politics

(Snippet)

As of about 7:30 a.m. several, including Democratic contender for the 9th District Bushra Amiwala, were tying hand-written notes of support to the fence.

Amiwala, a member of the Skokie Board of Education, was adding notes when an agent on the roof began firing pepper balls in their direction just before 8 a.m. 

“This absolutely was beyond unprovoked,” Amiwala told the Sun-Times on a phone call as she was leaving the scene. 

Amiwala stressed that the notes of support tied to the fence are a way to show detainees they’re being supported.

“Those notes on the wall sends a signal that they are not alone, and resorting to trivial modes of violence in this way is a huge sign of cowardice and weakness that these ICE agents harbor, and the power trip that these people are on right now.”

Amiwala noted the importance of becoming educated on immigrants’ rights, including the right to remain silent and the right to refuse to sign documentation.