UNIFIED COMMAND IN BROADVIEW EXPANDS DESIGNATED PROTEST AREA

November 18, 2025

BROADVIEW - In order to further protect the safety of protestors, Broadview residents and businesses, officers, and drivers, the temporary Unified Command is expanding the designated protest area near the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility.

Effective Wednesday, November 19, 2025, the Village of Broadview will temporarily close a section of Beach Street to vehicle traffic. The expanded protest area encompasses a large portion of Beach Street south of Lexington Avenue down to local business access ways. Local business access will be safely rerouted to avoid the expanded designated protest area on Beach Street. This designated area will allow protestors to peacefully exercise their First Amendment rights without inhibiting traffic, while reducing the risk to individuals standing in the street from being struck by vehicles and reducing the risk to officers engaged in enforcement. The expanded protest area maintains a designated media area.

Protestors can continue to access the designated area at Lexington Avenue and Beach Street, and protestors must continue to keep Lexington Avenue clear for traffic and emergency vehicles. Additionally, individuals may not enter the rerouted vehicle traffic zone south out of the designated area. Protestors who do enter these restricted areas may be arrested.

The temporary Unified Command remains committed to supporting peaceful protest and ensuring the safety and rights of all involved. Over the past month and a half, more than 4,000 people have protested outside the ICE facility, the overwhelming majority of them peacefully. By expanding the protest zone and eliminating an area of danger to protestors, officers and drivers, the temporary Unified Command continues to demonstrate a commitment to implementing improvements to further protect peaceful protest while enforcing the law for everyone’s safety. 

The temporary Unified Command has also coordinated previously with several faith groups and other organizations, enabling them to safely express their First Amendment rights and it remains committed to maintaining an ongoing dialog. Officers continue to accept medications to be delivered to detainees and pass along requests from individuals and groups seeking contact with detainees and opportunities to provide support.

In addition to the Illinois Department of Human Services facilitating on-site counseling services for protestors, the temporary Unified Command designated a community liaison, Jason Hernandez at Jason.hernandez@ccsheriff.org, who people can contact questions or concerns about the protests. Media inquiries should continue to be directed to press liaisons for the Unified Command. 

The mission of the temporary Unified Command is to ensure the safe expression of First Amendment rights and protect the safety, property, and access of everyone in the community. 

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