Broadview Mayor Declares Civil Emergency After Threats and Clashes at Anti‑ICE Protests

Broadview mayor declares civil emergency after credible threats tied to anti‑ICE protests

Broadview, Ill. — Mayor Katrina Thompson on Monday declared a civil emergency for the village after officials said they received a series of "serious and credible" bomb and death threats linked to out‑of‑town protesters who vowed to storm Village Hall and disrupt the Board of Trustees meeting.

Village leaders moved the planned in‑person meeting online after law enforcement warned that the gathering could be targeted following unrest tied to protests outside the federal immigration processing center in Broadview the previous Friday. The FBI has been notified and is investigating multiple threats made against the mayor and her staff.

Thompson said, "I will not allow threats of violence or intimidation to disrupt the essential functions of our government. I will not allow our staff or residents to be placed in harm's way." The emergency declaration grants her temporary authority to hold public meetings virtually and implement security measures without prior board approval.

The village said the order followed an escalation of threats, including a telephone bomb threat directed at Village Hall on Sept. 4 and a death threat against the mayor received on Oct. 13. Broadview police reported that on Friday a group of non‑resident protesters attempted to force entry at Village Hall and vowed to disrupt Monday's trustees meeting.

During protests near the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility the same day, officials said 21 people were arrested after clashes with Broadview Police, Illinois State Police and deputies from the Cook County Sheriff's Office. Two Broadview officers were injured, and a state trooper and a sheriff's deputy also sustained injuries.

"The safety of our officers and residents has to come first," Broadview Police Chief Thomas Mills said. "We respect the right to demonstrate, but violence and threats cross the line."

Thompson's emergency order is intended "to preserve the continuity of governance in light of imminent threats against the lives of village officials and public property," the village said. For the meeting, the Village Clerk, Kevin McGrier, accepted written public comments that were read into the record.

The move comes after Thompson last month issued an executive order restricting demonstrations near the ICE facility to a designated area and limiting protest hours to 9 a.m.–6 p.m. Civil‑liberties groups, including the ACLU of Illinois, have criticized that restriction as unconstitutional.

The civil emergency will remain in effect until the mayor determines that the threats to officials and public property have subsided. Local and federal authorities continue to investigate the incidents and threats.

Fox News' Patrick McGovern contributed to the reporting.