In Franklin Park, Illinois, this past July, another tragic incident unfolded when an off-duty federal immigration agent shot and killed Villegas González. He was a 38 year old Mexican immigrant and cook. The shooting occurred during an active car pursuit. It all began shortly after Gonzalez dropped one of his kids off at daycare. The suburb, which is roughly two-thirds Hispanic with a total population of about 18,000 residents, lies about 18 miles west of Chicago.
According to witnesses, the chase included an SUV that collided with a cargo truck before the shooting occurred. Since then, the heightened tension in the community has erupted. That’s happening right as a major federal immigration crackdown unfolds in Chicago, where authorities have arrested more than 550 people during recent sweeps. That has triggered a lot of comparisons to the bad old days of the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement actions this past summer in Los Angeles.
The Consulate General of Mexico in Chicago said it would “follow… closely” the investigation into González’s death. This angered immigrant rights advocates, Illinois’ highest elected officials, and even the president of Mexico who all called for a full investigation. In response, they demanded greater transparency about the circumstances leading to the shooting.
The shooting led to a lockdown of local schools and incited days of protest by community members who are demanding justice. Jesús “Chuy” García, an Illinois Congressman, emphasized the need for answers regarding the incident, stating, “We want answers to questions that we have raised.”
Details surrounding the shooting reveal conflicting narratives. An immigration agent who participated in the mayhem described the incident as doing “nothing more than bruising” him. He called them “no big deal,” including a sprained left knee and multiple lacerations on his hands. Here’s his account of what went down during that encounter. So I got dragged a little bit,” he said, but in addition to that he accused González of attempting to run them over during the chase.
This recent incident has affected the tight-knit Franklin Park community deeply. Denver is hardly alone in this growing wave of resident outcry over the increasingly violent impacts of local compliance with federal immigration enforcement. Advocates claim that this, among many other incidents, contributes to a climate of fear for our immigrant communities. This anxiety is keenly felt in communities that have been subject to heightened policing and surveillance.
The shooting has also turned into a rallying cry by advocates who want to change or strengthen immigration policy and enforcement practices in the United States. Advocates have argued that transparency in investigations where law enforcement is involved, particularly those where a fatality occurs, is of utmost importance. Kristi Noem, a notable figure in the dialogue about immigration enforcement, remarked on the gravity of the situation, stating, “His life was put at risk and he sustained serious injuries.”