Meta Removes Facebook page Tracking ICE Agents in Chicago Amidst Heightened Tensions
CHICAGO – meta has โฃremoved a โฃfacebook page used to trackโ the location of Immigration and Customs Enforcement โ(ICE)โฃ agents duringโข operations โขin Chicago, following pressure from the Department of Justice. The move comes asโ ICEโ activity in the city has increased and as local officials have taken steps โคto limit the agency’s access to city resources.
According to a statement from the Department of Justice, “The wave of โฃviolence against ICE has been fueled by online applications and social mediaโ campaignsโ designedโ to put ICE agents atโ risk simply for doing their jobsโฆWe will continue to collaborate with technology companiesโข to โeliminate platforms where radicals can incite imminent violenceโ against federal law enforcement.”
Meta joins apple and Google,which previously blocked the โขdownload of applications alerting immigrants to โICE activity. The deletedโข Facebook page was one โtool used to disseminate real-time location facts of ICE agents while โthey were conducting detentions.
The โdevelopments โoccur against a backdropโ of escalating conflict betweenโ federal authorities and Chicago city officials. Last week, Mayor Brandon Johnson โsigned an โคexecutive order prohibiting ICE โagents from using city propertyโข to carry out deportation operations.
“We โwillโข not โtolerate ICE โฃagents violating the constitutional rights of our residents nor willโ we allow the federal government โขto ignore our local authority,” Johnsonโ stated. “With this Executive Order, Chicago remains firm in protecting theโ constitutional rights of our residents and immigrant communities and in defending โour democracy.”
The White House responded โto Johnson’s order, โcriticizing what it โtermed the โฃ”Democrats’ โlunatic sanctuary agenda,” โขand asserting that “Protecting the most depraved and violent illegal โimmigrants from justiceโฆis a perilous intensification of the Democrats’ lunatic ‘sanctuary’ agenda, where criminal โฃillegal immigrants are above American citizens.”
Recent reports also indicate concerns among Chicago teachers that increased immigration enforcement measures near schools areโ causing distress to students and disrupting classes. Additionally,federal authorities have accusedโค a gangโ member of plotting to โคassassinate a Border Patrolโ chief inโ chicago.
