CHICAGO (WLS) — The Department of Homeland Security’s immigration operation, “Midway Blitz,” dominated the news in the Chicago region last fall. The Trump administration’s immigration enforcement efforts have faced further scrutiny following the death of two American citizens in Minneapolis earlier this year.
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Federal agents shot Marimar Martinez five times in Brighton Park. She was federally charged until the case eventually fell apart. Martinez will be Rep. Jesus “Chuy” Garcia’s guest at the State of the Union on Tuesday night.
“She is here to demonstrate that the cruelty and lawlessness of this administration is costing lives, is hurting many people like her, and, of course, it’s terrorizing communities across the country,” said Garcia, D-Chicago Southwest Side.
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Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi’s guest will be 21-year-old University of Illinois-Chicago student Jaime, whose undocumented father was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. After four difficult days at the Broadview detention facility, Jaime’s father self-deported.
“We need to be more compassionate, as a country, towards those that may be undocumented, like my father,” Jaime said. “Why are we deporting people with a simple civil violation?”
Rep. Brad Schneider’s guest will be Rick Woldenberg. He and his Vernon Hills-based company, Learning Resources, challenged President Donald Trump’s tariffs and won before the Supreme Court. Woldenberg says the case was about the rule of law, not the president himself.
“Honestly, as an American citizen, my hope is that President Trump does a very good job as our leader. We kind of need him to do that. So, I’m interested to know what his plans are,” said Woldenberg.
The president is expected to address the economy and affordability during the State of the Union, especially with the midterm elections coming this year. He is likely to make the case that he has taken the country in the right direction.
“The challenge is going to be if people are really feeling it, if they’re feeling it in their pocketbook, if they’re feeling it at the kitchen table—and he’s got to convince them that they need to stay with him, that he’s got a plan,” said ABC7 political analyst Laura Washington.
Dozens of Democrats will not attend the joint session this year, opting instead for alternative events. Rep. Mike Quigley, D-Chicago, is among those choosing not to attend.
“I’m holding a town hall with Indivisible where my constituents can talk about their concerns, what’s happening, what their concerns are about the president, and where we should go from here,” Quigley said.
https://abc7chicago.com/post/democrats-invite-marimar-martinez-other-impacted-chicago-immigration-enforcement-donald-trumps-state-union/18646402/
