A diverse group assembled in front of Kane County’s judicial center in St. Charles on Wednesday. Some wore everyday clothes; others donned religious stoles. Signs proclaimed messages like “Justice for our neighbors” and “ICE strips peoples’ humanity.” The gathering involved singing and prayers, with the group responding in a collective chorus: “Our love for each other will carry us through.”
The event was organized by the Coalition of Elgin Religious Leaders (CERL), an interfaith council, to support immigrants amid persistent federal immigration enforcement in the Chicago area. This gathering marks a shift in enforcement strategy. Though incidents like the tear-gassing during last fall’s Operation Midway Blitz have reduced, immigration experts note increased arrests at routine check-ins and courthouses.
The Kane County judicial center has been a focal point for detentions, even as protests continue. CERL, under the leadership of Mark Weinert, co-president and pastor at First Christian Church in Elgin, regularly gathers at courthouses, standing in solidarity with immigrants. Concerns about federal activity at local courthouses prompted them to gather at the judicial center.
“People are going, just trying to do their due diligence… and then being picked up,” Weinert stated. The group moved to a grassy area across the street, as per new county rules regarding courthouse protests, before starting their event.
An interfaith gathering of clergy and activists sang and prayed in support of immigrants amid rising ICE activity at the Kane County Judicial Center in St. Charles.
New guidelines from the 16th Judicial Circuit, aimed at clarifying courthouse activities, dictate how apprehensions and protests at courthouses are conducted. A May order specified law enforcement procedures for courthouse apprehensions, while a June order set guidelines for protests, restricting them to designated areas and forbidding certain activities.
The new rules have sparked discussion and criticism. The Illinois chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union voiced concerns about constitutional rights, especially affecting rapid responders documenting ICE activities.
Weinert stressed that the gatherings are not meant as protests but as a show of presence. “We stand here today as people of faith to say to our immigrant neighbors: you are seen, you are not forgotten, you are not alone,” he emphasized.
Rabbi Margaret Frisch Klein of Elgin’s Congregation Kneseth Israel participated, highlighting a moral imperative drawn from Jewish history of persecution. The gathering featured a moment of silence and the blowing of the shofar, a ritual ram’s horn, led by the Rev. Thea Kornelius of First Presbyterian Church in Elgin, reinforcing the message of solidarity.
In addition to courthouse events, Elgin clergy support immigrants by providing food, supplies, and hosting “Know Your Rights” trainings, showing ongoing faith-based support within the community.
Rev. Alan Taylor from the Unitarian Universalist Society of Geneva reiterated the importance of “moral witness and advocacy.” Having witnessed detentions near his home, he emphasized the need for “moral voices” in these challenging times.
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