A protest calling for the abolition of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in the U.S., as well as the ending of ICE's contract with McHenry County, is scheduled for this Saturday in Woodstock.

At the rally, set for 2 p.m. in the historic Woodstock Square, several speakers will inform the public about immigration, detention centers and human rights violations, according to a news release.

Organizers are asking people to wear masks and bring signs, and also call McHenry County Board Chairman Jack Franks and ask him to bring the county's ICE contract to a vote.

Through an agreement with the U.S. Marshals Service, McHenry County earns $95 a day for each ICE detainee housed at the jail.

Why would I want to contribute to a culture of us and them?" Alli Carroll, one of the protest organizers, said in a statement. The ICE presence does not reflect the views of our community and is an unwelcome presence. We can no longer profit off of human fear and misery.

In a news release, organizers said the U.S. "has created a vehicle for fear, racism, xenophobia, and internal terrorism" in ICE.

Sandia Davila, who also is part of the movement to eliminate ICE, said friends of hers have been deported.

It makes me wonder whos next? It could be a student who stops attending school; it could be a neighbor," Davila said. "Because of the intentional invisibility of the immigrant community, people just go missing. This is not public safety. The immigrant community should not live in fear.

Protest organizers argue that money the federal government gives to ICE could be used for different purposes, such as improving schools, establishing cleaner and more efficient public transportation systems, offering public services for the poor, lowering the cost of post-secondary education and providing small-business loans.

We have so many needs in our community, protest organizer Tony Bradburn said.

As previously reported by the Northwest Herald, McHenry County Board member Carlos Acosta pointed out during a July 16 County Board meeting that the number of ICE detainees in the McHenry County Jail has been declining recently.

When we accept ICE inmates or detainees, thats up to ICE, we have no influence on the number thats coming or going, McHenry County Sheriffs Deputy Sandra Rogers said. The assumption is, during this pandemic, that theyre not moving around as often.

Sponsoring organizations of Saturday's protest include Activists for Racial Equity (Crystal Lake and Surrounding Communities), Elgin in Solidarity with Black Lives, Standing up Against Racism (Woodstock), McHenry Direct Action, Warp Corps of Woodstock and Tree of Life Unitarian Universalist: Social Justice.

Read more:

Protest to abolish ICE scheduled for Saturday in Woodstock - Northwest Herald