Hispanic people living inside Kankakee County borders have become more than a little anxious in the past few days.

With the appearance of U.S Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers in the Kankakee region as the heat has turned up regarding the deportation of undocumented immigrants, many area Hispanics are fearful of what could happen.

“Everyone they see they now think is an ICE officer,” said Momence’s Natalie Ojeda, president of the Hispanic Partnership of Kankakee County. “We take everything seriously.”

Although there have been no official details shared regarding ICE detainments, Ojeda reported that four or five people have been taken into ICE custody.

“We know ICE is here. They have been here quite a while, but they are just active now,” she said.

Kankakee County has a significant Hispanic population. While many Hispanics call the county home, Ojeda said most are here legally or are working toward legal status, but some are not.

However, there is a shadow cast over most of this population.

Ojeda said many are carrying as much documentation as they can – passports, birth certificates and Real IDs, among other papers – in the event they encounter federal law enforcement.

She noted many Hispanics are not reporting to work, and some may not be going to school. Many are simply staying in their homes.

Some local Hispanic celebrations have been canceled out of fear.

“From my understanding, this is not going to stop,” Ojeda said of the government’s crackdown regarding the removal of undocumented immigrants.

According to the Pew Research Center, there were an estimated 14 million unauthorized immigrants in the U.S. as of July 2023.

Ojeda said the deportation situation will affect the region economically. There are many local Hispanic-owned and -operated businesses that are not opening or sharply scaling back service because of their fears or those of their staff, she noted.

“There are people who are really scared – people who have been here a long time who are really scared," Ojeda said. “Their lives are here, and they are terrified. These are people who have built their lives here from the ground up.

“We’re working to keep everyone informed and safe.”

Steven Hunter, vice chairman of the Hispanic Partnership and a member of the Kankakee County Board, said that community members have been reaching out asking what can be done regarding the presence of ICE.

That included a man who told Hunter he was afraid to go to the store for groceries and that his wife was afraid to go to work.

Hunter noted that Ojeda has been inundated with the same kinds of calls and concerns.

“You know, I heard that initially they were going to get the bad guys, but it seems like they’re getting everybody,” Hunter said. “... I don’t necessarily believe everything [ICE says].”

Hunter said that a better way to address immigration would be if ICE really did “target the bad guys,” as the agency claims to be doing.

“I don’t think anybody has a problem with that,” he said. “It’s more macro than micro. ... It’s terrible what they’re doing.”

Kankakee schools

In response to the presence of ICE officials in the city, Kankakee School District 111 issued a statement reiterating its stance on keeping kids safe in schools.

“As a reminder, every child, regardless of immigration status, has the right to attend our schools without fear,” the statement read.

The district’s response included having an increased police presence at Kankakee Junior High School and Kankakee High School.

Superintendent Teresa Lance said that she spoke with Kankakee Police Chief Chris Kidwell and put out the statement to help alleviate some anxieties families might be having about sending their children to school.

Coordinating with the Kankakee Police Department, an officer or two will be present at the junior high and high school. Police and the district’s safety team is working to provide an additional layer of surveillance around school campuses.

There has been no indication that anyone within the school district is being targeted by ICE, Lance noted.

If federal immigration officials were to request access to one of the schools, trained district administrators would handle the interactions in consultation with legal counsel and local law enforcement, according to the statement.

“We know that our police officers can’t interfere with federal agencies,” Lance said. “But again, [we issued a statement] just so that our families would know that we weren’t just letting our children be taken out.”

Chris Breach contributed to this story.