Residents press Waukegan leaders over ICE presence, call for stronger local protections

A significant portion of the City Council meeting Nov. 17 was devoted to audience time, where numerous residents raised concerns about recent immigration enforcement activity and a Nov. 7 operation that witnesses said involved federal agents and agents identified as Greg Bovino.

Speakers included Adriana Gonzales, Cameron Crombie, Cindy Gautarama and others. Gonzales described an interaction she said showed a senior Border Patrol official belittling a Waukegan deputy chief and said the episode left her “deeply troubled.” Crombie, a lifelong Waukegan resident and co‑chair of Lakefront DSA, criticized Waukegan Police Department tactics and said federal operations had caused community fear, urging local officials to stop “hiding behind the Trust Act” and pursue stronger local protections.

Gautarama and other speakers urged concrete steps rather than symbolic gestures, describing families living in fear and calling for ordinances or measures to limit local cooperation with federal immigration operations. Clyde Macklemore of Black Lives Matter outlined community support activities and warned against trusting reports that ICE had left the area.

During a separate committee earlier in the evening, an official said one public official and two officers had been threatened and that those matters are under investigation. The mayor and council acknowledged the community’s concerns; the mayor urged residents to stay informed, know their rights and noted the city would continue to invest in residents’ needs regardless of immigration status.

Speakers urged clearer policies about use of city property and personnel, enhanced reporting and community support measures; councilors and staff said they would follow up with appropriate departments and monitor ongoing investigations.