‘Day of Action’ Monday in Dwight

Posted on March 11, 2019

 

Demonstrations are planned in Dwight before the village board votes to annex property for an immigrant detention center. (File photo from No ICE Dwight Facebook page)

 

By Howard Packowitz

DWIGHT – Opponents of an immigrant detention center in Dwight are calling Monday a “day of action.” That’s when the village board is expected to vote on annexing property near Interstate 55 and Illinois Route 17 for the $45 million facility.

No ICE Dwight is planning a rally and march to begin at the Amtrak Station at 5 p.m., about 90 minutes before the start of the village board meeting.

The group is accusing Dwight Mayor Jared Anderson of trying to “greenlight” the proposal and silence opposition after cancellation of Saturday’s community information session at Dwight’s St. Patrick’s Catholic Church.

Earlier this week, Mayor Anderson offered a defense of the proposal in a lengthy Facebook posting. He noted the detention center would create hundreds of high-paying jobs for the community.

Anderson also said the non-criminal immigrants would be living in much more comfortable conditions than a prison cell, with amenities including indoor and outdoor recreational facilities, and access to iPads and immigration law books.

Howard Packowitz can be reached at [email protected]

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