Loyola student newspaper creates ICE tracker, says immigration enforcement is ‘unconstitutional’

OPINION

The student newspaper at Loyola University-Chicago created its own map to track the activities of Immigration and Customs Enforcement in the area.

The editorial board is taking the stance that all enforcement of immigration laws, which simply require people to be here legally, is “unconstitutional.”

“The Phoenix is vehemently against the unconstitutional use of ICE in our neighborhood, city and country,” the Loyola Phoenix opined.

“Immigrants make America great — from the Northern corners of Rogers Park, to the Southernmost parts of Edgewater and, broadly, to the greater Chicagoland area,” the editorial board wrote, mentioning the two neighborhoods where the Jesuit Catholic university is located. “We stand in solidarity with our immigrant neighbors, working people and at-risk community members.”

The newspaper appears to have launched the tracker in the past several weeks and currently only lists two sightings. Earlier this year, students mistook a census taker at a dorm hall for an ICE agent.

However, the student newspaper promised to “verify” any submissions before sharing them.

The Trump administration has been enforcing immigration law in Chicago and the surrounding suburbs since Sept. 8 as part of “Operation Midway Blitz.”

According to the Department of Homeland Security, arrests included:

• “Cristobal Carias Masin, a criminal illegal alien from El Salvador, convicted of statutory rape, fraud, and aggravated felony, and with pending charges of assault and failure to register as a sex offender.”
• “Stefan Cseve, a criminal illegal alien from Austria, previously convicted of sexual assault, aggravated criminal sexual assault, aggravated criminal sexual abuse, numerous sexual predator in a public park offenses, child sex offender loitering, in violation of the sex offender registry and currently charged with murder, rape or sexual abuse of a minor.”
• “Pedro Juan Avalos-Quezada, a criminal illegal alien from Mexico, convicted of aggravated assault with a weapon, driving under the influence of liquor, trespassing and traffic offense.”

Unfortunately, Mayor Brandon Johnson has decided to side with the illegal immigrants above, who have come here and not only broken our immigration laws but others as well. Johnson and Governor JB Pritzker have said they oppose any enforcement of our laws. Mayor Johnson even declared Chicago an “ICE-free zone.”

While these political officials are trying to undermine the rule of law and our democracy, the Trump administration is pressing forward and sending a clear message to Johnson and Pritzker that they cannot be kings and do whatever they want.

Rather, we have a democratic republic, and mayors and governors must still respect federal laws – even if a few undergraduate students at Loyola suggest it is “unconstitutional” to enforce our laws.