Board debate over ICE actions in Joliet prompts heated exchange and calls for decorum

Member Ana Ortiz told the Will County Board she was unable to limit herself to celebratory remarks during Hispanic Heritage Month because of what she described as aggressive immigration enforcement in the county. "In Joliet, ICE agents rammed into a car and dragged people out, leaving terror behind," Ortiz said, and later added that agents "smashed through a car window in broad daylight" and that parents were taken at school drop-off.

Ortiz urged colleagues to "stand with our Latino community" and criticized the lack of transparency about who had been detained, where they were taken, and why. "Silence is not neutrality. Silence is complicity," Ortiz said, calling for county action to demand transparency in courthouse procedures and to support affected families.

Member Berkowitz responded at length, describing his view that the county should emphasize "law and order" and observe the legal immigration process. "We are a country founded on law and order," Berkowitz said, adding that his family's history involved following immigration procedures. His remarks framed the issue as a matter of legal process rather than racial targeting.

The exchange contributed to a tense meeting atmosphere. Chair Trenier repeatedly interrupted to enforce board rules forbidding members from discussing or characterizing other members during public remarks. The chair read from the board's parliamentary guidance and warned that members must "avoid characterizing another member's personal intents or motives and avoid discussing personalities." Trenier said she would intervene if the debate became personal and urged members to focus on county business.

Other board members spoke in favor of civility and a strategic-plan process. Member Reavis said the board needed to return to principles of compromise and respectful accountability; leader Sherry Williams and Member Van Dine urged respect and asked members to avoid name-calling. Van Dine said the planned strategic plan for the board should help members "come together".

Why it matters: Ortiz's description of enforcement activity in Joliet, Romeoville and other municipalities raised civil-rights and community-safety concerns for local residents and prompted a public exchange about enforcement policy and county-level responses. The board did not take a formal vote on policy or directives related to immigration during the meeting.