Cook County Com,missioner Kevin Morrison (D-15th), a candidate for Congress, speaks in front of the ICE detention fascility in Broadview Sunday, calling out ICE/CBP for allegedly holding a U.S. citizen from Skokie and five others in custody for two days.
Cook County Commissioner Kevin Morrison (D-15th) is demanding transparency from federal immigration authorities following the reported detention of a U.S. citizen and five others across multiple facilities this week.
At a press conference Sunday at the Broadview Detention Center, Morrison alleged that U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) held Sunny Naqvi, a native-born citizen from Evanston, and five of her colleagues for approximately 30 hours after they landed at O’Hare International Airport on Thursday morning.
Morrison, a candidate for the 8th Congressional District, said the group included three U.S. citizens and three green card holders.
“It is insane that my friend had to go through ICE detention as a native-born American citizen,” Morrison said. “We are demanding full transparency from our federal government on why she was detained.”
Cook County Commissioner Kevin Morrison (D-15th) in a group hug with Sunny Naqvi and her family at their Skokie home Saturday, after she was allegedly held in custody by ICE for two days. (Photo submitted)
According to Morrison, Naqvi — the sister of a longtime friend — arrived at O’Hare from Istanbul at 10 a.m. Thursday. He alleges federal officials provided conflicting information, at times denying she was in custody while location data from Naqvi’s phone placed her at O’Hare, an ICE processing center in Broadview, Illinois, and eventually the Dodge County ICE Detention Facility in Juneau, Wisconsin.
Morrison said Naqvi was released from the Wisconsin facility in the early morning hours of Saturday, March 7, without any paperwork. He noted she was forced to hitchhike to a nearby hotel to reunite with her family.
Cook County Commissioner Kevin Morrison (D-15th) shows Skokie resident Sunny Naqvi’s phone pinging at O’Hare airport late Friday might as he stood outside the ICE detention center in Broadview. (Pgoto submitted)
The commissioner claimed the group’s travel was flagged during a layover in Turkey while they were en route to India for business. After being denied entry to India, the group traveled separately through Europe and Pakistan before reconvening in Istanbul for their return flight to Chicago.
The incident has drawn attention from several local political figures. Morrison was joined at the Broadview facility Friday by 9th District congressional candidate Kat Abughazaleh. Bushra Amiwala, also a candidate in the 9th District, posted about the detention on social media.
A senior aide to U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-9th) confirmed Naqvi is a constituent and said their office has been in contact with ICE and CBP regarding the matter.
Cook County Commissioner Kevin Morrison (D-16th), who is running for Congress n the 8th District with 9th Congressional District candidate Kat Abughazaleh late Friday in front of the ICE detention facility in Broadview. (Photo submitted)
Federal spokespeople for ICE and CBP did not immediately respond to requests for comment by Monday morning..
Morrison was scheduled to appear Sunday afternoon alongside Naqvi, Abughazaleh, and Illinois 7th District congressional candidate Reed Showalter to further address the allegations.
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