Dozens Arrested: Civil Disobedience Begins Over Immigration Law

Broadview police arrested immigration rights activists who were blocking a southwest suburban detention facility Tuesday morning.

A vigil calling for federal immigration reform began Monday and continued overnight into Tuesday morning. About 100 people were demanding that deportation of illegal immigrants end immediately.

Several dozen people were arrested around 8 a.m. Tuesday; leaders wrapped up the protest about half an hour later. For the most part, the protest was peaceful. Those who were arrested were were sitting on the street in front of the immigration detention center. They were blocking a van coming out of the facility, which reportedly contains illegal immigrants in the process of being deported. About 24 people were taken into custody.

The protesters arrested will be charged with disorderly conduct or blocking traffic. The police chief in Broadview said he would try to make sure the charges were lenient. He said for the most part they were peaceful arrests and said he did not want to arrest the protesters but had to because they were breaking the law. Read more here.