Rep. Brad Schneider (IL-10) released the following statement on the DOJ indictment of several individuals, including congressional candidate Kat Abughazaleh, for allegedly blocking immigration vehicles while exercising their First Amendment rights outside the Broadview immigration processing center:

“The indictment of six peaceful protestors who were exercising their First Amendment rights at Broadview is yet another chilling example of the lengths this administration will go to try to silence its critics and strengthen its authoritarian hold over our communities. 

“ICE officers, with faces covered and identifying badges concealed, are traumatizing our towns while arresting US citizens and legal residents, and hitting, teargassing, and violently dragging peaceful protestors. Rather than targeting dangerous criminals, these actions are overwhelmingly ensnaring peaceful members of our communities. 

“The Trump Administration is producing a horrifying reality show so that they can brazenly distribute fantastical videos across their Truth Social accounts and amplify the fear they’ve stoked across Chicagoland.

“President Trump and his administration want to scare us. They want to intimidate and silence us. We will not be silenced, we will not be intimidated, and we will not back down. We stand for freedom. We stand for our constitution. We stand together for America.”