FRANKLIN PARK, Illinois: Rudy Repa, a 27-year-old resident of Franklin Park, Illinois, placed a single marigold at a makeshift memorial near the spot where a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer fatally shot a man from Mexico during an attempted arrest in the Chicago suburb.
The US Department of Homeland Security said an officer shot Silverio Villegas-Gonzalez, 38, during a traffic stop on Friday in Franklin Park. In a statement, the agency said Villegas-Gonzalez was in the country illegally and had attempted to flee in his car, dragging and injuring the officer.
The death of Villegas-Gonzalez has angered community members like Repa and heightened safety fears among the region’s Latino residents.
On Saturday, about 100 people, including Repa, turned out for a vigil for Villegas-Gonzalez in Franklin Park, a community in which around half of the residents are Hispanic or Latino.
“I’m incredibly mad and I want justice for our community,” said Repa.
DHS on September 8 launched a deportation crackdown in Illinois that it said was targeting criminals among immigrants in the US without legal status. The department said the operation was necessary because of city and state “sanctuary” laws that limit cooperation with federal immigration authorities.
Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson have called for an accounting of the incident involving Villegas-Gonzalez. On Saturday, Johnson said on X it was an “avoidable tragedy.”
US Representative Delia Ramirez said at a press conference Villegas-Gonzalez was shot immediately after dropping off his children at a nearby school.
ICE declined to provide more details on the incident over the weekend. It referred to a press release that said Villegas-Gonzalez had a history of reckless driving and the ICE agent fired his weapon because he feared for his life.
Alexandra Calleja, 34, teared up as she spoke at Saturday’s vigil about the killing.
“I think he might have gotten scared,” she said. “He might have wanted to leave because it crossed his mind that, ‘If I get taken away I’ll never see my kids again’.”
Many residents attending the vigil on Saturday were also immigrants, born in places like Guatemala and Chile.
Pritzker said last month he thought President Donald Trump’s administration was timing ICE operations to coincide with celebrations for Mexican Independence Day, which falls on September 16 and is a major event in Chicago’s large Mexican-American community.
A large Mexican Independence Day parade in Chicago’s Little Village neighborhood on Sunday still drew thousands of attendees to enjoy music, singing and dancing. There were anti-ICE signs along the route and volunteers on the lookout for federal agents.
Marco Villalobos, 46, who was part of the parade, said he did not bring his three children because he worried ICE agents might be there.
“It’s a terrible thing; they’re trying to hunt people down,” he said of Villegas-Gonzalez’s death.
Chicago area residents mourn immigrant fatally shot after injuring ICE agent
https://arab.news/gyw4r
Chicago area residents mourn immigrant fatally shot after injuring ICE agent
- The death of Villegas-Gonzalez has angered community members like Repa and heightened safety fears among the region’s Latino residents
Pakistan tightens security as border conflict intensifies
- PM chairs meeting to review overall security situation in the country
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif this week directed authorities to ensure prompt and comprehensive security measures countrywide, state media reported, as Pakistan’s armed conflict with Afghanistan intensifies.
The latest clashes between the neighbors erupted after Pakistani airstrikes targeted what Islamabad described as militant hideouts inside Afghanistan earlier this month, drawing sharp criticism from Kabul. Afghanistan’s forces retaliated on Thursday night, firing at Pakistani posts along the border and triggering an armed conflict between the two sides.
Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said on Saturday that 352 Afghan Taliban fighters had been killed and more than 535 wounded since the latest phase of hostilities began. Both sides have claimed to inflict massive damage on the other. However, Arab News could not independently verify the claims.
Sharif chaired a high-level meeting on Saturday to review the overall security situation in the country, state broadcaster Radio Pakistan reported.
“Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has directed all relevant federal and provincial institutions to ensure prompt and comprehensive security measures in view of the current situation,” the state media reported on Saturday.
The premier directed authorities to ensure mutual coordination and coherence in fulfilling their responsibilities, paying tribute to the armed forces for their sacrifices in the “war against terrorism.”
“During the meeting, the prime minister was informed that all security institutions are on alert and all necessary measures are being taken for the security of the country,” the state broadcaster said.
On escalating tensions in the Middle East, Sharif directed Pakistan’s foreign office to repatriate Pakistani nationals stranded in Iran safely via Azerbaijan.
Meanwhile, explosions echoed across parts of Kabul before sunrise on Sunday, followed by bursts of gunfire, a Reuters witness said. It was not clear what had been targeted or whether there were casualties.
Taliban administration spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said the sounds were the result of Afghan forces targeting Pakistani aircraft over the capital.
“Air defense attacks were carried out in Kabul against Pakistani aircraft. Kabul residents should not be concerned,” Mujahid said.
Pakistan has said Afghanistan harbors Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants, which it said are waging an insurgency inside Pakistan.
Afghanistan has denied the accusation, saying it does not allow Afghan territory to be used against other countries and that Pakistan’s security challenges are an internal matter.
Pakistani security sources have said operation “Ghazab Lil Haq,” meaning “Wrath for the Truth,” was ongoing and that Pakistani forces had destroyed Afghan posts and camps.
Diplomatic efforts have intensified, with Saudi Arabia, Russia, China, the European Union and United Nations urging restraint and calling for talks.
