BROADVIEW – Senate Majority Leader Kimberly A. Lightford joined state and local officials and concerned community members to demand the fence around a facility in Broadview housing people accused of being in the country illegally be taken down immediately.

“Broadview is a community that believes in the dignity of every person — regardless of where they were born, what they look like, or what language they speak,” said Lightford (D-Maywood). “We believe that no one should live in fear, and no government agency should ever operate beyond the reach of the law or the light of truth.”

Lightford joined Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch, among others, calling for the president to order the fence in front of the Broadview ICE facility to be taken down before a court-issued deadline of 11:59 p.m. Tuesday.

The fence was put up about three weeks ago by the Department of Homeland Security right in front of the ICE facility, and the fence is now restricting access to Beach Street. The Village of Broadview took DHS to federal court last week, and a judge agreed the fence must come down because it creates a public safety concern for first responders trying to access the area.

“To ICE — and to the president — hear this clearly: We will not stand by while you build walls to hide human suffering,” said Lightford. “We demand transparency. We demand accountability. And we demand that this fence be removed now.”