Religious leaders from the Catholic community are pressing for permission to enter the Broadview Immigration and Customs Enforcement processing center during the Christmas holiday.
Christmas Visitation Request
They specifically seek access on December 24th and 25th to conduct prayer services and administer communion to individuals held at the facility.
"We pray they remember that those inside Broadview are not numbers, not cases, not paperwork. They are mothers and fathers, sons and daughters," stated Sister Jeremy Midura of the Coalition for Spiritual and Public Leadership Women's Religious Council.
The request comes amid reports of increased immigration enforcement activities in the Chicago region this week, with detentions occurring in multiple locations including Cicero and Evanston.
Formal Appeal and Response
On Friday, clergy members gathered outside downtown immigration offices to formally submit their appeal. A letter was delivered to Department of Homeland Security officials requesting holiday access for religious services.
"We lift our voices with theirs, and we are here to insist, and our right to extend pastoral care to them," explained Father Dan Hartnett, also with CSPL.
He added, "Families are being ripped apart during this most holy and sacred weeks of Advent."
DHS representatives maintained that enforcement operations in Chicago are continuing, stating they "aren't leaving Chicago and operations are ongoing."
Congressional Inspection and Concerns
U.S. Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi, currently campaigning for a Senate seat, was permitted to tour the Broadview facility on Friday.
Following his inspection of detention areas, the Illinois Democrat expressed reservations about enforcement practices.
"What I was told is that no one is being held here anymore overnight. They are normally taken to other states," Krishnamoorthi noted. "My biggest concern is the people who they are targeting. It could just be someone who is walking down the sidewalk and had nothing to do with the target in question. They could get picked up and taken to this Broadview facility."
Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino was observed monitoring recent enforcement actions in the area.
Legal Action and Official Silence
A lawsuit currently before the courts seeks to establish regular pastoral care access at the Broadview processing center.
DHS officials have not provided immediate commentary on the religious leaders' specific Christmas access request.
