Chicago mayor says 5 detained by ICE at city pizzeria

CHICAGO — Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot says five people have been detained by federal immigration authorities at a South Side pizzeria near the Indiana state line.

Lightfoot publicized the immigration action Monday on Twitter, saying city officials were “actively monitoring the situation” and providing “assistance to the affected families.”

Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokeswoman Nicole Alberico declined to give details on Monday’s “targeted enforcement,” citing operational security and privacy.

Chicago is and always will be a welcoming city, and we stand firmly with our immigrant residents. Make sure your friends and neighbors know their rights: https://t.co/iLVRuVsiNe

— Mayor Lori Lightfoot (@chicagosmayor) September 23, 2019

Alderman Susan Sadlowski Garza, whose ward includes the pizzeria, said on Facebook that workers were taken into custody.

Immigration enforcement at places of business is not unusual.

Lightfoot’s office says the mayor publicized the ICE enforcement to avoid the spread of misinformation. The mayor has been vocal in opposing immigration authorities since she took office this year.

In July, she tried to move a Customs and Border Protection symposium out of Chicago.