When Peace Turns to Terror: ICE Descends on a Chicago Sunday

Commentary by Derek Nielsen, Photographer

Today was one of the darkest days I can remember in a long time. It started out so peaceful. The sun warmed up the early autumn morning, touching this Chicago Sunday with the remnants of summer. We were part of a large group of people who joined Patagonia to do a river cleanup, volunteering our time to enjoy the outside and do something good for a city we love.

After dumping our many bags of plastic trash on shore, we saw 4 ICE "border patrol" boats heading down the river. I had my camera, so I was curious what they were up to. The river walk was full of tourists and families enjoying a picture-perfect Sunday, but tension was building.

As I approached Michigan Avenue, I could see armed soldiers crossing the bridge in front of T tower. My heart began to sink. Here we were, everyone enjoying a beautiful Sunday along the river, volunteering, spending time with family, couples holding hands, biking, and experiencing so much joy.

On top of the bridge, a very different scene was unfolding. Close to 100 ICE agents were terrorizing the public. People screaming for their loved ones to RUN! Mothers were being pulled by their hair as their babies were ripped out of their arms. Not criminals, but people selling candy. I will never forget the sound of the children screaming, crying, tormented. I have never felt so ashamed or helpless in my life.

It took 100 armed soldiers with our tax dollars to terrorize Chicago on Sunday, September 28th. When I stopped and begged for answers, several of them said..."It's the optics, look around, we have your attention." All in the shadows of Trump's tower along the Chicago River. Others without masks said, "We begged them not to do it on a Sunday, but they followed through with their orders. A bunch of us were out here the other day without our uniforms on, and man, this is a beautiful city you all have here. All I can say is sorry."

90% of them are wearing masks, 50% of them are acting like tough guys, even some posing for photos in front of his building or down the Chicago river like tourists. I am sorry, you are not. You are a terrorist.

Do you want to do something for your country? Grab a paddle and join us along the river picking up trash. Sunday is a day of rest. Even the worst gangsters have an unwritten code that you don't shoot on Sundays. Not ICE. They came out today and made every single American citizen in Chicago today feel unsafe and afraid. People were crying, shaking, and screaming just from what they were witnessing.

People will probably unfollow me because I am posting this. Call me woke or tell me to stay in my lane as a photographer. My hope is that you share this with everyone you can. I was trying to stay in my lane. I was volunteering doing a river cleanup with my camera when the United States military (actually not the military they follow the constitution) ICE, decided to terrorize its own citizens today, when we were just trying to enjoy a peaceful Sunday with one another.

The last photo of the guy in the truck told me, "He is proud of the way he makes the cockroaches feel, f them, f all of you, the best part of my job is occupying democratic run cities, now go home or you're next."

I have been to all seven continents and in some of the most corrupt countries you can think of, and have never felt more threatened than I did in my own city today. I will not be complicit. This is not the America I grew up in, and neither did you. Speak Up.