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One of our people was taken… And we were not prepared.
One of our people was taken… And we were not prepared.
On February 27, 2026, our friend, neighbor and significant other for one of our organizers, G, was taken by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents outside his home in West Garfield Park.
G has a pending asylum case and has been living in Chicago for four years. He is now in ICE detention.
As organizers in Chicago, many of us work closely with immigrant communities and restaurant workers. We talk frequently about preparation: knowing your rights, planning for enforcement actions, gathering documentation, and building support networks.
But when it happened to one of us, we realized something difficult: We were not prepared either.
What followed was a crash course in rapid response, one that required improvisation, coordination, and an enormous amount of emotional labor.
We are sharing what happened so others can prepare in ways we wish we had.
Chicago Reader
