U.S. District Court Judge LaShonda Hunt, a Biden-appointed federal judge in Illinois, has ordered the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and ICE to dismantle a security fence protecting the federal immigration processing facility in Broadview, Illinois, a facility that has been the site of violent protests and anti-ICE riots since the launch of President Trump’s Operation Midway Blitz earlier this fall.
Judge Hunt granted the Village of Broadview’s emergency motion for a temporary restraining order, finding that the Department of Homeland Security and ICE acted “ultra vires,” beyond their lawful authority, when they ordered an eight-foot fence to be installed across Beach Street without local consent.
In her 18-page ruling, Hunt blasted DHS for ‘commandeering municipal property’ and declared the fence a public safety hazard that interferes with local emergency access, particularly for fire trucks and ambulances responding to incidents at or near the facility.
“…As a result of the Federal Defendants prohibiting the Village from having unencumbered access to its municipal street, the Village argues it is prevented from applying its ordinances to ‘protect the health, safety, and welfare of the public, ‘ which constitutes irreparable harm. The Court agrees,” Hunt wrote.
The fence was installed after violent demonstrations erupted outside the ICE processing center following a crackdown on hundreds of criminal illegal aliens across Chicago and its sanctuary suburbs.
ICE officials insisted the barrier was necessary to protect staff and detainees, citing incidents of vandalism, tire-slashing, and blocked vehicles by anti-ICE protesters.
But Judge Hunt sided with Broadview’s Democratic Mayor Katrina Thompson, who argued that the fence was “illegally constructed” and prevents “Broadview Fire Department access to the area in case of an emergency.”
Her decision effectively overrides DHS security measures put in place after repeated assaults on ICE personnel.
The ruling orders DHS to dismantle the Broadview fence by midnight Tuesday, returning control of Beach Street to the Village of Broadview. Federal officials have until then to comply or appeal the injunction.
WATCH:
JUST IN: Illinois U.S. District Court Judge LaShonda Hunt (Biden appointed ) has ruled that the fencing surrounding the ICE facility in Broadview must be torn down.
Fox News: “The fence put up as demonstrations grew needs to come down by midnight Tuesday. The judge says it’s on… pic.twitter.com/vFfiJ9Ueqe
— RedWave Press (@RedWave_Press) October 13, 2025
Read the full article here