Topix Underground

from r/CringeTikToks

"...Go to Broadview’s ICE Facility, See for Yourself What’s Happening in Our City

I want to share an experience that really shook me and encourage anyone in the Chicago area, no matter your political beliefs, to do one simple thing: go to the Broadview ICE facility and see what’s happening with your own eyes.

Whether you spend 15 minutes or half an hour, just be there. Drive by, park nearby, and take it in. Then ask yourself a very basic question: Is this okay?

I went there recently with my kids. We didn’t even get out of the car, we just drove by.

Even in that brief moment, I had to have one of the hardest conversations I’ve ever had as a parent: explaining to my children who those people are outside, why they’re wearing masks, and why they’re carrying assault rifles. Seeing their confusion and fear was heavy. It sticks with you.

In the five minutes we were near the facility, ICE agents drove aggressively next to my car in a way that was clearly meant to intimidate. The only reason it seemed to calm down was because my windows were down and my two kids were visible in the back seat. I’m a US-born white person, and I still left feeling shaken. I can only imagine the fear and trauma others must experience, especially people who are directly impacted by our immigration system. This isn’t about left or right, red or blue. This is about our neighbors, our city, and basic humanity.

Go see it for yourself. Look at what’s happening right here in the Chicago area, and really sit with it.

Ask yourself: Is this who we are? Is this who we want to be?..."