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October 14, 2025 58 mins

A State of Emergency: Resisting ICE in Chicago

Trigger/Content Warning: Episode will mention ICE raids, violent detainment, and police brutality. Recorded on Tuesday, 10/13/25 at 7:30 pm US Central.

The city of Chicago is currently grappling with a climate of fear and constitutional crisis following escalated raids by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). In this critical emergency episode, we host Alderman Byron Sigcho-Lopez of the 25th Ward, a leading voice on the front lines of this fight, representing communities like Pilsen and Little Village.

Alderman Sigcho-Lopez shares a direct, unfiltered account of what is happening on the ground:

  • The Breakdown of Order: We discuss evidence of ICE agents violating federal court orders, challenging the constitutional rights of Chicago residents, and operating with impunity in immigrant communities.

  • Calling Out the Governor: The Alderman provides a sharp critique of Governor Pritzker and the failure of state-level law enforcement (Illinois State Police and Chicago Police) to utilize their authority to protect local residents and enforce existing sanctuary policies.

  • Community Mobilization: Hear how the 25th Ward office is working hand-in-hand with rapid response networks and grassroots organizations—the true frontline defense—to track ICE activity, connect families with legal aid, and provide necessary resources.

  • Systemic Roots of the Crisis: This episode connects the current immigration enforcement crisis to a broader history of systemic oppression that has long targeted and harmed Black, Latino, and other marginalized communities in Chicago.

This is more than an update—it's a call to action to understand your rights and the power of local organizing.



  • Alderman Byron Sigcho-Lopez (25th Ward)

    • Alderman's Office Phone: (773) 523-4100

    • 25th Ward Website: [Link to 25th Ward website, if applicable]

  • Rapid Response/Know Your Rights:

    • Chicago ICE Raid Hotline: [Insert Local Hotline Number]

    • [Link to a 'Know Your Rights' guide from a local immigrant rights organization]



1. SHARE THIS EPISODE: The best defense is community knowledge. Share this episode immediately to get this critical information to every resident in Chicago and beyond.

2. GET INVOLVED: Contact the 25th Ward office or a local rapid response network to volunteer, donate, or get Know Your Rights training.

3. SUBSCRIBE to The Banh Mi Chronicles for more episodes challenging the status quo.

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Transcript

Episode Transcript

Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:04):
Hi, everyone. This is Randy Kim from the
Vanmeet Chronicles podcast. And this is another emergency
edition of the podcast. And so there is a trigger
warning. The trigger will be conversation
surrounding ICE raids, deportations in detainment.
And I am here where Alderman Byron Cito Lopez, Many thanks to
your wife, Lorraine, who's also been a dear friend of mine, for

(00:27):
bringing you on at the last minute.
And I know that you've been extremely busy with everything
that's been going on with the ice raids.
You currently serve as the Alderman or the Chicago City
Council in the 25th Ward. And Byron, thank you so much for
being on my show. And let me ask you, how have you

(00:47):
been navigating the last few days?
I mean, I think this is a very loaded question, but I think
just in general, like how have you been able to try to manage
the day-to-day unpredictability from you and that's going on And
how is you, how are you and the staff working to navigate
through this together? Yeah.

(01:09):
And I think again Randy, for theinvitation and and it's been a
very difficult time in our community.
As you know, we have been leaning on one another during
these very dark times that we'releaving.
So surrounded by community, surrounded by.
The the beautiful city that we have around us.
And I'm very grateful for all the rapid responders, all the

(01:30):
volunteers, all the people of Chicago who are standing up to
fascism, that is standing up to racial profiling, the
dehumanization and the criminalization of immigrants,
trans communities, black, brown,and poor people in general.
This is an attack on the poor. This is an attack on working

(01:51):
people and the focus on cities like Chicago and others because
of our diversity or, or strengthor, or, or strength of the city
that takes pride of having 77 neighborhoods with people all
over the world, Palestinian, Jewish, black, brown, Asians,
and all young, all of us fighting back against these

(02:12):
regimes. So it's being as it's being a
very difficult time, as you would imagine when we see
families turn apart, we're having to go to find people that
we still have people who we still haven't been able to
communicate in in days. Families were desperately trying
to reach their loved ones, not not even attorneys to figure out
the the chaos that that that theTrump administration is is

(02:36):
provoking in our city's own purpose to distract us from the
serious crimes happening every day in our country and using.
Us as a scapegoat, as pawns, andnow literally chasing us in our
neighborhoods as as as not as not even as human beings.
Right. So I think that this is the

(02:56):
moment where we lean on each other, that we build coalition.
So I've been very despite of thedark, dark, dark times that we
live in and the profound pain that our community is suffering
from small businesses, schools, churches, hospitals, you
soldiers of these these last weekend that we saw the the the
unleash of terror in Rogers Parkwhen they were targeting

(03:18):
churches. They tear gas against the
against the ruling of federal judges.
They are defying rule orders of federal judges and they are
intimidating judges that have ruled, you know, with the law
like the Portland, the Oregon and Portland.
And we're not talking enough about these.
Things when they burn a house onfire.

(03:40):
To intimidate a judge that have clearly said what is everybody
knows is happening. We have a president who is Anne
Hinge who is using the military as his personal militia to
unleash it against black and brown communities and and and
the profound pain that that thatmeans and the danger they are
already evoking the Insurrectionact.

(04:01):
They already seem to be want to push towards martial law and
they and, and, and chaos what isgoing to, what's going to be the
case when they start to find anddisrespecting the, the, the,
the, the rule of law when the courts are deciding do not use
tear gas and they still do it for everybody to see.
And again, I think is, is very important that in this moment,

(04:22):
we understand why Chica was holding the line.
They're trying to fabricate all these violence.
They kill one of her neighbors, the radio Viegas Gonzalez.
They shot a woman that was basically found herself in a bad
situation with these masked individuals trying to leave and
then they shot at her. That's what created the unrest
in Brighton Park. And when we went there to of

(04:42):
course, help our neighbors, we all were tear gas, including the
Chicago Police Department. They have no, they have no
respect for for. And this I'm telling you, the
dehumanization, this narrative, anti immigrant narrative that is
putting immigrants worse than pedophiles.
That's exactly where we are in our country.
And I think that we need to in this moment understand that this

(05:03):
can be the trans community. Next we saw in South Shore, you
see how traffic is stopping the West side of Chicago ends up
with someone on the floor being choked.
And then we see the raids at like we're back in the Nazi
Germany in South Shore when we have an long Lord that literally
put the, the tax in each door ofimmigrants were behind rents

(05:24):
with the number of kids. And then we have like the terror
that was unleashed with kids in slid logs, families outside
naked black and brown communities and with no
evidence. I'm yet to see a single gun that
was recovered from there. Meantime, we have mass shootings
all over the country. We, you know, we have massive
unrest and, and, and the criminalization of dissent,
which is the most what we saw inBroadview when people being

(05:45):
arrested, you know, dozens of people being arrested not only
by the federal government, but the state police as well.
So in all of this, you know, it's very important to, to, to
really, I thank Chicagoans in this moment in history for
standing up for each other. And I think that I've seen the
tremendous support in all of these that I'm describing to you
and all the heaviness what I see, like tear gas, like they're

(06:07):
trying to turn our neighborhoodsinto war zones because they do
not see as human beings. And in this moment, it is great
to see people all over the community, you know, building
the strong coalitions, how we can get involved in each block
at the neighborhood level to respond, to care for your
neighbors, to see who is there to.
There's initiatives already about like, you know, reclaiming
your, your, your corner story, reclaiming your corner, your

(06:31):
block, you know, making sure that you connect with, with
people. So in this moment, as it's very
heavy and very dark, we also seea little bit of light in Chicago
and Chicagoans and Illinoisans fighting back so that we don't,
they don't take us back to the times of the civil wars when
people were being lynched, when people were snatched from their,
from their communities and, and,and, and exploited.

(06:53):
As we see now, immigrants are being detained unjustly to be
forced to work and be continued to be exploited.
These is people who are these are people who are vulnerable
that have been traumatized crossing the border, have been
traumatized just surviving just to provide to the kids and not
being inflicting even more pain by just simply existing and
trying to provide a flower lay someone selling flowers, someone

(07:14):
in the rooftop, someone selling tamales.
Those are no criminals. Those are our neighbors.
And I think there's never been in a time in our country that a
president unleashes the militarytrying to snatch people that
simply came here, like many people fleeing violence.
So I think that in this moment on today's, you know, with
Indigenous Peoples Day, you know, I think it's important to

(07:35):
reflect where we are and the genocide and, and, and the
slavery that has been built. You know our country, In a
moment like this, we really needto be standing up for values and
principles of the world that we want our kids to inherit,
because this is cruelty, barbarism and corruption that we
cannot normalize. Thank you so much, Otterman for

(07:56):
sharing the experiences, what you have seen personally and
also what your community membershave been experiencing.
And, and also as a time stamp reminder, it is Tuesday, October
13th, 7:39 PM And I'm very curious, why do you think
President Trump is targeting Chicago and Portland?

(08:17):
What seems to be his motivation with those two cities
specifically? Why does he see it as a test run
for what he is likely to do? I'm very curious for other folks
that are not very familiar with the US politics.
Yes, I think that what we see isa fixation on cities that are

(08:41):
democratically run, that are actually, in this case of
Chicago, for instance, built with a coalition of working
people that elected after 40 years a black progressive mayor
from the West Side. The last time was Mayor Harold
Washington that in fact delivered for the city of
Chicago former congressman, a mayor that beloved to this day

(09:02):
in our community because he gavethe city a sanctuary city status
to protect them from the Reagan administration.
So when we see the history of our cities in this blue collar,
hard working people, that is, you know, a coalition of, of
working people, black, brown, white, Asian, young, all, all of
us coming together to protect our city.

(09:22):
It is is a symbol of resistance that in our country there are
movements of people like the Chicago Teachers Union, a
powerful forcing union asking labor to stand up.
The UAW, the many people would think labor that you got
federation of Labor, right. We got faith leaders working 1
green class community leaders, elected officials.
So when you see the level of coalition fighting by

(09:45):
corporations like Google, but wejust had a powerful rally right
outside of Google this last weekend when we are making sure
that we make the connections between the billionaires that
profit from the dehumanization of people.
The same drones that are flying in Gaza are flying in our
streets and neighbors. Not going to tell them now they
can tell that is. Happening in our neighborhoods.

(10:05):
So when we see a, a, a movement,a coalition of working people
fighting back against the billionaire class, then he
becomes inconvenient for the billionaire class.
And we've been fighting Trump for a long time and we've been
fighting for by ourselves actually.
Because you remember not too long ago, we also had to fight
Mayor 1%, Mayor Rahm Emanuel that continues to go into the

(10:28):
national platform like he represents Chicago.
So for anybody in the world who is watching us, Rahm Emanuel
does not represent or city. He is part of the 1%.
And what you see in Chicago today is the many against the
few is working people. Mayor, Mayor Johnson is a former
teacher that from the West Side who is a working class.

(10:51):
He's a working class black man who stood with us when they were
trying to close our schools, when they were trying to close
mental health clinics, when theywere trying to destroy our
public housing, when they were putting kids literally in the
ROM administration, The thousands of young black kids
who've been interrogated and brutalized.
So that is not, and they like what McDonald cover up, you

(11:13):
know, and there's 50 schools that they close.
So that is not the Chicago that we're talking about.
The Chicago that we're talking about is the Chicago of
solidarity or the economies of solidarity where neighborhoods
help one another. And I think when you see that
small businesses represent an alternative to the corporations
that fund genocide and defund these corrupt regimes like

(11:33):
Walmart, like Home Depot, the ones that actually cooperate
with this regime, dehumanizing our community.
And they see that there's a new economy of solidarity, a new new
government or working people. And then you see we were the
city, for instance, that had themost number of visitors this
summer. So people are seeing right.
And there's a city of contrasts.We are also a city that for

(11:54):
segregation and with the Chicagoboys coming.
But this is a city also that have have been seeing blueprints
like mayor of Washington and a new coalition.
The Trump administration see us as a threat and the and and the
trainers as such, because we represent an alternative to the
neoliberal nightmare and to the fastest regimes and the violence
that they want to impose in our neighborhoods and in our cities.

(12:15):
I am also wondering about your conversations or the City
Council's conversations with theChicago Police Department in
this, because we're hearing about them, as you mentioned,
getting tear gassed by by the feds, by ICE agents.
I am wondering about what is that communication like?
What are they signaling to you and the communities?

(12:37):
Because I think there's a lot ofconfusion right now about
communities of asking why aren'tthis police stepping up?
Why are they attacking the protesters?
Illinois State Police, that is in this case, what is happening
with their line of communication?
What are you? What are you seeing so far?
What what I'm seeing is like a lot of pressures from within,

(12:59):
like you saw Superintendent Snelling going ahead and saying.
Basically that that that basically.
Validating the ICE version of the encounter with a woman, the
30 year old woman that got shot at when you look at the cameras.
And I think this is a moment to be sober in our analysis.
But who is actually telling the truth and who's actually
protecting our communities and those who are creating violence

(13:21):
in our community? So when you see Superintendent
smiling, coming and, and validating ICE version, you
know, only to later be seen withconfronted by the facts, I hope
is A, at the very minimum, a cautionary tale that we cannot
just take the word of the federal government for granted
#1 #2 I think that is important because in other cities like

(13:41):
Portland and in Oregon, we're already seeing.
And in fact, in Mississippi, just more recently, there was a
sheriff who basically went public and said, look, if I see
eyes Asians coming here and terrorizing my communities and
breaking the law, I would persecute him.
And I think, yes, if we have lawand then we're investing
millions of dollars in law enforcement, I think that the
very minimum is that there's a judicial war.

(14:03):
And then we really have a judge who ruled that the question is
when they break the law, which they did the following day, the
following day in Chicago, when ajudge already said you need
judicial warrants, you need to identify yourselves with it.
You cannot tear gas, You cannot use weapons of war.
They did the exact same thing that they were told not to do.

(14:24):
So it's clear that they're defined because they want to
send a message that they're bullies and that they will not
stop until they get their way, because that's what bullies do.
And I think that when we know that what's at stake is the
future of our communities, we have to take a stance.
And that's what, you know, we think labor leaders, community
leaders, faith leaders, all of us coming and protecting our

(14:45):
community. So when, when we call, when,
when we see a ferocious attack on our city, I think it's really
what people have kept us safe. I think like in other words, I,
I, I think that the Chicago Police Department should hold
accountable for what they supposed to be and the
expectations should be we shouldnot be kidnapped in our
communities and nobody responds,right?

(15:05):
When there's no judicial warrants.
What happens when these mercenaries break the law,
right? There has to be accountability.
And there are other cities that already doing.
I think that we in this moment, again, in these systems of
oppression, I think that what wesee that has been effective is,
is the people. And yes, as you mentioned,
Chicago Police Department and our institutions should work for

(15:26):
the people. But now we can see that for a
long, long time, and since they've been instituted, these
institutions have served the billionaire class.
They have started to protect capital, not to protect the
people. So yes, now that we are in
government, we should demand that these institutions protect
people, not capital, not billionaires, and not oppression
like that are not breaking the law.

(15:47):
So yes, the expectation from Chicagoans should be to demand
that our public institutions do not cooperate.
But further than that, that whenthey break the law and they
dehumanize Chicagoans in our streets and they commit crimes
that we should definitely use all means necessary.
The executive order that the mayor just did about, you know,
not using property from from thecity like schools and and part

(16:09):
districts. And so far is important because
lays the ground for for legal action.
But it's not enough. So in this moment, we need to
come out. We need to come out in numbers
in each block in each. So we got a community protesting
civil disobedience all by all means necessary because the
other side does not have a consciousness and in our in our
law enforcement, as you know, inthese issues of oppression.

(16:30):
I think that I would expect thatwe demand better from governor,
hear from the mayor that we actually holding these
institutions to the mission of serve and protect.
But we know that for a long timethese systems have been
protecting the billionaire classand the working people.
So this is a defining moment to protect our residents in Chicago
and across the state. And yes, at some point when when

(16:52):
the people is not enough and themilitary forces come, I think
the government, that of the people, the the the governor,
the mayor, the county president,all of us are standing together
to protect the right or or amendment or constitutional and
human rights. And I think that we are in that
moment. I think, like I said, my push
back on the Superintendent getting ahead before even an

(17:14):
investigation is concluded. And there should be an
investigation. And I expect and I hope and I
leave with this another was a long answer that I hope that the
woman who was shot at scoots back and challenge what
happened. And the more people we know are
the person Fuentes already sued the government money because she
was detained by simply asking for a judicial order and was
arrested. You know, we see a priest who

(17:36):
was shot at at Broadview for simply protesting also sue.
And we also, you know, have suedthe federal government.
We have a complaint that was used in courts.
You know, I sue personally and as a community with multiple
locations of how our community was targeted or evidence was
like a huge fire. And the judge said that the
federal government, the government's evidence was a

(17:57):
thing as a ham sandwich. So they got no evidence and
they're operating and they're occupying our city illegally.
So we must fight by all means necessary.
And yes, to your point, even when we have to enforce these
executive orders on our state, on a constitutional and human
rights, I think government got to do whatever is necessary to
prevent us to be, unfortunately,victims of a state terror.

(18:18):
So with Governor Pritzker and Mayor Brandon Johnson, are they
signalling that they are going to do more to protect Chicago
and the surrounding suburbs of Chicago?
Have they looked to increase pressure on the law enforcement?
Have they looked to find different openings where ICE

(18:41):
cannot intrude on citizens? I'm I'm very curious because
there's a lot of criticism that both of them are getting in this
time because they feel that in governor preserve your case that
he's not doing enough. He's allowing Illinois State
Police to attack the Broadview protesters.
And like what has been a talk inCity Council, been with other

(19:07):
colleagues and in trying to pushboth the mayor and the governor
to be on the same page and to really go further on on what's
going on right now. Thank you so much.
That's a great question. Let me start first with the city
and then I go to the, the state level, which is, you know, more

(19:30):
my, my analysis. But instead of the, of the city
level, I think the, the, the mayor has issue a number of
executive orders using his executive power to, you know,
make sure that they don't use our facilities as, as parking
lots or that they, they don't collaborate, that we have 0
collaboration. We also are about to hear in the

(19:53):
next meeting on the community, on the Committee of Immigrants
and Immigration and Refugee Rights.
We're going to discuss at least.Several.
Resolutions around prohibiting child endangerment by this
agents that have left kids in the middle of the street in the
name of public safety, ironically around the schools
that use, you know, identifying themselves basically define the

(20:15):
rule, the orders of the judges. So is is, is.
Is there hope that more and morepeople.
Again, and at the state level, because we have.
Seen not only Chicago. But in surrounding areas like
Berwyn, Elgin, Waukegan. Aurora.
So it's all over the state. So it is our hope.
And again, today was the first time that Governor Pritzker has

(20:35):
said that he will use law enforcement to enforce for local
laws. And that again, in other words,
that he will arrest those agentsthat are defined, They will
order the, the, the judge orders.
Because that would be chaos if we, if there's no, there's,
there's no real basis on how to detain somebody, They will
detain any of us. In fact, the president already

(20:56):
have said that they'll detain the president and the, the, the
mayor and the governor. So I think that in this, in this
time, I think absolutely my opinion that there's got to be
more. I think that what you mentioned
in terms of is state police arresting protesters or
collaborating in any way, shape or form is is in this moment is
a wave of collaboration that should not be normalized,

(21:17):
neither accepted. I was there in Broadview.
We've been tear gas in several occasions without provocation.
Some of our some of our volunteers have been arrested
just for protesting, including aveteran.
So we reject that. We reject attacks on our freedom
of speech. We reject attacks on fundamental
human rights. We see people that have been
there for days with like there'sno kitchen, there's no shower.

(21:38):
They cannot talk to their attorney.
They're denied basic rights, even though at the same time
rights for Americans are are very different.
You know, you can get your medicines, you can you can talk
to them. They have an attorney.
So you can see the dehumanization in in real time.
And I think that in that sense, you know, it's good that we have
now more and more people demanding that this facility is

(21:58):
shut down, reminding that they that we could not even inspect
it. Federal officials even having
denied entry. Imagine the conditions.
Imagine that what they do in theplain sight, you know, in, in in
the north side. And I think that's what I think
has gotten the governor also to open his eyes that this
happening anywhere and it could happening anywhere and there was
arrest anyone because they have no respect for anyone.

(22:20):
So I think that it is important in this moment that the
collaboration, coordination between the state and city.
For instance, we have kids that are working by themselves to
school. That's how much terror there is.
And in the school, we need to address the trauma that that
that that is being inflicted in these children.
And then we have a governor, like I said, well, there's no
money. I'm sorry.
So you cannot continue to governwith a rhetoric of a Democratic

(22:43):
governor by the tax code of the Republican Party when the
millionaires don't pay, when thecorporations don't pay.
So he has to snap out of his circle of billionaires because
he is a billionaire. And that's the thing that the
defining line and why he's always very critic of the
mayor's administration and is not taking full accountability
of how we're going to fund public transportation, how we're

(23:03):
going to fund education, public education, How we're going to be
less reliant of the federal government that now shamelessly
they just withheld even funding that was already secure to
extend the red line to the Southside of Chicago.
Imagine the level of racism in about 50 has been far for this
project. So the black community in the

(23:24):
South Side has access to public transportation.
So this is withheld in that withholding $800 million for
violence prevention programs, $200 million for some abuse
programs. But yet talk about fentanyl,
talk about public safety is suchan embarrassment that I think
it's important that we start talking more about the facts and
how we coordinated state city, not only to enforce and maintain

(23:45):
the the humanity of one another,right?
But I was understanding their connections or the struggles,
you know, in, in in Gaza and, and, and in our communities so
that we don't dehumanize anyone,right?
Wouldn't the people's humanity is not in should never be
negotiated. And I think that's why this is
the moment and again, and I mentioned this because the
governor who have not supported the ceasefire.

(24:06):
And that has been another point of contention with the governor.
So I think that in this moment in time, it is very important
that we coordinate efforts to protect every constituent as our
Constitution in the state set, and that we fund the gaps that
the Trump administration is, is,is is leaving to create chaos in
our state. Are there any cooperations with

(24:26):
other blue cities like I don't know, Milwaukee, Minneapolis.
I'm very curious if there's any like coordinated like stops like
from other neighboring from other cities that are are
currently being targeted or on the verge of having a Chicago

(24:47):
experience. I'm very curious if you're
seeing anything about that part.Yes, no, I'll tell you that
there's definitely being a lot of collaboration and we're
learning from one another, right?
And it's great to see. You know, we had conversations
with elected in New York, in LA and DC community leaders, right,
Labor leaders, learning from what they're doing, how they're
resisting fascism. And I think that you got was the

(25:08):
result of that cooperation, right?
Learning of what they did in LA with the schools is notching
people from graduations, you know, trying to instigate
violence. You know, I think that we also
learned from DC and, you know, the militarization, the
deployment of the National Guardin New York, they said, OK, as
people going and being snatched from courtrooms, Electro
officials, I think over 70 Electro officials and leaders
getting arrested. So from civil disobedience to

(25:31):
the deployment of veterans, right?
A lot of veterans in DC challenging them, right,
demanding, you know, and, and locally also, we see a lot of
veterans living in our communitystanding up for constitutional
rights that how we can, how we can talk about America first.
But then going back, you know, values that, you know, veterans
fought in World War 2, right, when, when we, when there was a
fight against Nazi Germany. But now we see now that being

(25:54):
played out in our streets and that we, we label everybody who
is against that a terrorist. I mean, they, you know, so I see
veterans challenging those thosenarratives challenging, you
know, what would really stand for that the condemning was
seeing. So this coalition of, of, of
people, I think has to be intergenerational in, you know,
intercity, interconnected. And I'm glad to see people that

(26:16):
even in Tennessee, you know, youknow, there's, there's Electro
fishers that are defying, you know, Elon Musk plans for for
developments that don't keep thecommunity.
So this is a thing, a national fight.
And I'm thinking, look, this is on October 18th.
I think it's going to be a massive no kings day.
I think the Trump administration's already talking
about, you know, with concern how many people is being

(26:38):
activated, how many people within their own base are
frustrated by the lies on the Epstein files, but losing food,
food stamps, by losing, you know, just basic safety Nets,
You know, So I think like more and more people are critical of
the Republican Party. I think that they are seeing
that the discontent is, is real and is growing.
And they're trying to to respondto that with violence, with

(27:01):
military repression. And I think that this is the
moment where we gotta learn fromfrom each other.
I think Chicago is resistant. But of course, we need more
leaders to step up in this moment.
It is good to see more label leaders nationally play leaders
in all of us. And it's going to take a big
moon member working people to defeat this fascist regime.
So we got to keep on building coalitions.
I think in Chicago I haven't seen this level.

(27:23):
Of unity in a long, long time. But I think it's unprecedented.
I'll tell you. Yeah, for like the no kings
protest. But that also leads me to is
Trump has been threatening the Insurrection Act, martial law.
Can you describe what that is and what happens?
This is the worst case scenario we're talking here.
What happens if he decides to goforth with that?
What is Chicago going to experience And how does that,

(27:49):
how does that leave politicians like elected officials like
yourself, trying to scramble as a response to this and along
with community organizations andgrassroot groups?
Well, I think worst process scenario will mean that there's
no rule of law anymore, that there's one individual
dictating. Who is free and who's not?

(28:12):
Who is the threat of the state and who's not?
Who will detain anybody as as ashe said that it will be money
for military like we're seeing right now.
But there's no money for for food stamps.
There's no money for the government.
The government, in fact, is shutdown and there's, there's,
there's, there's basically a military personal militia that

(28:35):
will be deployed to follow Project 2020.
Five, and I think people should be familiarized with what
Project 2025 is and thus and is destruction of civil rights,
destruction of our First Amendment rights.
There will be there will be a one party system, there will be
a dictator in our country. We already see the consolidation

(28:56):
of the judicial branch that shamelessly already said that
racial profiling is is is legal,given that it fits the agenda of
Project 2025. That has a has a chilling effect
in terms of like they can detainanybody just the way they look
and now and I think the martial law will mean that they will
detain anybody for what they sayand what they do.

(29:17):
I'm also very curious about theycorporations, especially since
there's plenty of them in Chicago.
One example that comes to mind is Uber and Lyft.
Uber and Lyft drivers in O'Hare Airport were also getting
forcibly detained again by ICE agents for no apparent reason
other than the fact that they'renot white.

(29:37):
And I am curious about what wayscan City Council pressure like
big corporations to realize likethis is going to be a losing
hand for you? Like, like, like you had talked
about like disrupting the billionaire class and and that
there would be no employees to have to do your work.

(30:00):
And I'm curious, what does that look like right now at the
landscape with like big corporate organizations that are
either apolitical or actually just standing on the sidelines,
just allowing this to happen in terms in terms of the funding,
in terms of support for this government?

(30:21):
Yeah, No, I think, look, there'sin this, in this moment of
tyranny, there's no neutrality, right?
You're ready with the side of the working people and the
press, or with the Nazi regime, that is.
Is. Going to put people in
concentration. Camps.
I mean we. Already see people missing, so I
think it's very including children.
So in this moment, I think that.What what we need to what we

(30:45):
need to fight for is I'm sorry, I'm losing my track of thought.
I'm a little so that so we we don't chaos in our city.
If if we allow the Trump regime to to implement Project 2025.
And what we're seeing in in our country is the define of of of

(31:08):
the George orders the defiance right and the consolidation of
power in a moment like this, youknow, it is is critical that
that we again find a role in this movement and build
coalition. We're not talking with 10 people
that we couldn't talk today, andwe haven't talked with 20 people
or 30 people or 40 people that we're not talking to other
people. We need to talk and build, build

(31:30):
coalitions for people who perhaps like within people that
even within that they're following the MAGA propaganda
that are left without insurance,that are sick, that have cancer,
that have been manipulated by this.
So we need to talk and that we need to build this, this, this,
this level of coalition in a moment where where tyranny is,
is is with tyrannies the norm. Resistance is a duty and

(31:53):
resistance can play in many forms.
But what we cannot allowed is this billionaire class to to
manipulate us on pitches againsteach other that that's what they
do so well. I think that in this moment,
like Uber and Lyft, what level of cooperation they had in this
raid. Because you cannot operate
without a warrant. And if you went and you
cooperated like Home Depot and Walmart, right?

(32:16):
What does it tell you about the corporation?
What are their values? And that's what I think the
power of the people, but the power of a wallet too, right?
Because they, the Trump regime has no consciousness.
So you cannot fight him with morality.
We must fight him with a wallet and or presence, contesting with
arguments and showing up in the spite of the threat, the fear.

(32:38):
When we overcome the fear, Denver has no clothes and we see
the. Fallacies and and and and and
and and the lies. And the corruption that, by the
way, is impeachable, bribes, treason, going against
Americans, American citizens not, not not swaying A

(32:59):
congresswoman because they want to hide atrocities of sexual
assault and the Epstein perversion, right?
I mean, in this moment in time, I think that's what in Chicago,
we also going to challenge thesebillionaires because we have our
several billionaires that what Imentioned and we have the mega
billionaires and we have the theDemocratic billionaires that

(33:21):
they work for the same class, the billionaire class.
So we need to process in Chicago, like I said, we went to
Google, we expose one of the oneof the billionaires friends, we
Elon Musk, right? We are going to expose the
billionaires that are behind this, this, this for profit in,
you know, prison industrial complex, right?

(33:42):
And in this moment in history, right?
I think it's like or numbers or presence fighting in the
streets, in the courts, in the legislative bodies and wherever
we need to fight them. This is like billionaire class,
you know, understanding that thepeople united, it's fighting
back to survive. This is a survival.
You know, this is the right to to coexist.
Chicago is someone that we can'tcoexist, right?

(34:05):
Yeah. What can you share about your
25th Ward? I know there's a, it's a vastly
diverse community just like the rest of Chicago is, but I would
like for you to kind of share more insight about the 25th
Ward. And also also if you could share
like, like how many people have been detained in this ward?
And what do you know so far fromcommunity responses the last few

(34:27):
days there? So the 25th Ward, I tell you, I
am extremely proud to represent a fighting working class
community like Solidarity, the rapid responders, right?
Different groups doing rapid response, delivering food,
right? You know, initiatives to adopt
your street vendor help. You know, adopt your corner
neighborhood, You know, vendor, you know.

(34:51):
Massive food drives, you know, helping each other out.
So small businesses get supported, get promotion, help
each other out in terms of like doing even, you know, you know,
people who have like media platforms coming supporting our
neighborhood, asking people to support.
So a lot of grassroots, you know, that I think is is
important to mention because it has built solidarity.
It has been more unity. I think that this level of unity

(35:12):
among our communities. La Villita Pills and Universal
Village neighbors caring for oneanother, sharing meals, sharing
each other, walking their their kids to school, supporting each
other, showing up, going to protest, you know, going out
there, you know, to pass signs, you know, to to help them for
know your rights campaigns and and the rapid responders that
that going when when when there's a call vice presidents

(35:34):
and I'm going out and putting themselves on the line.
So I'm very grateful for all thepeople doing the great work in
Chicago and I'm I'm in a neighborhood where, you know, we
are very much the port of entry of the city.
The southwest side has been a port of entry of immigrants for
generations. Like the Mexican communities,
that is the community that is the majority.
The Mexican, Mexican American community is the most humble,

(35:54):
hard working people that I know.There's just like hard working
people trying to make ends meet,putting the food in the table
for us, for our families, literally, right.
Like growing the food for us, serving the food, cleaning our
places. It is hard working people that
I'm proud to represent is the honor of my lifetime.
And that's what we fight for hard because these are
communities. We're family here, you know, and

(36:16):
this is like La Vita and Pilsen,you know, we're we're the heart
of the Mexican, Mexican Americancommunity in the whole Midwest.
So we just have a sense of pridethat has been the coalition to
like mayor of Washington was born in our neighborhood.
There's a history of resistance here and there's a history of
coalition working people that elected mayor, mayor of

(36:37):
Washington in the 80s. And now we have an opportunity
to fight again with Mayor Johnson.
And I think that in in north, you know, we, we are a
neighborhood of working class people.
And I think that, you know, you know, we fought to keep our
schools open. We have fought to shut down coal
plants. So there's a fight here.
You know, this is the heart of our community.
And, and, and we fight, you know, for, for, for all of us,

(37:00):
because we know that our constitutional rights are all at
stake. And I think that Chicago has a
lot of love for our community. And I feel that level of
solidarity across Chicagoans. And I think I think more people
across the country and across the world have to know what's
happening in Chicago and the dignity of the human being and
the dignity of all people is being fought here in the streets

(37:23):
by a lot of people. I truly appreciate this, and I
really think this is very important to show the narrative
of what's really happening in Chicago, but also that our
community, Chicago, you know, isnot a helpless community.
We're a very tough community. I think This is why I brought
you on because I know the work that you have been doing and I

(37:44):
know that our community has a lot of fight in us too.
It's I think it's very importantto know what we're up against.
For those that have been detained in your ward, what do
you know so far as their whereabouts and what does that
mean right now for them and their families at this moment?

(38:05):
Well, you know, with people, youknow, we have at least a few of
our. You know of our community
leaders that have been arrested for protesting and defending.
All of us. You know, it's a hard, it's a
hard thing, you know, for, you know, like we go together, we
come back together, you know, so, so we've seen, you know, we
have had to spend, you know, onewhole day on a Friday, you know,

(38:26):
like until one of our leaders was released, you know, with no
charges. But it was like kept almost for
a whole day. Another another of our, of our
leader, you know, a professor aswell.
Both of them also was, you know,detained.
You know, she was kept overnightnow facing charges and these are

(38:47):
people who speak in truth to power that are standing up for
all of us, for all the rights. So I think like, you know, I, I
will say that I hope that, you know, people pressure Eileen
Berg or state Oku County state'sattorney to drop all charges
against all protesters that are fighting for.
All our. Constitutional rights and human
rights, as was important to denounce the level of threats
that some of these leaders have received, you know, death

(39:10):
threats and and and and and all sorts of, you know, targeting,
doxing, you know, one of the leaders would dox during his
birthday, you know, just, you know, like just defaming him.
So he's like, this is a moment, you know, of real solidarity,
understanding, you know, like for what truth, what is what,
what is really important is for us in this moment in history,

(39:32):
you know, to. To really stand up for.
For human rights and constitutions for all, no
negotiations. You know, that's what we know
that the fighting Gaza for humanity and decolonization, it
is so important for us here alsoin Chicago where indigenous
lands have been also stolen. When, when, when it's slavery

(39:53):
built a whole economy and then the people who built and the
foundation, the working people, the workers are left behind as
disposable and owned by the ruling class.
So the billionaires. And, and, and that corporate,
the greed of corporations of billionaires, is that the root
of all the, the eels, you know, the disrespect to more than
earth, you know, all the secrecyof life.

(40:15):
So I think this is a moment where I think I'm proud to be in
Chicago. I am really, really humbled to,
to, to be raising my family here.
And, you know, I'm glad that my family, we're all fighting and
we have beautiful neighbors and a beautiful community and a
beautiful city and a beautiful state and a beautiful country.
Americans are courageous. And I think that we cannot allow

(40:36):
a minority, A vocal minority, tocome and dehumanize and
brutalize everybody else. Our ancestors have been here for
thousands of years. We're Americans of the
continent, right? And we should not be treated as
foreigners or an enemy of the state where we are.
People work so hard to be to, tomaintain our economies.
You know, these are hard workingpeople, flowers, people selling

(40:58):
flowers in rooftops, you know, building hard working people.
We have look, I want to mention one of my mentors, right?
This was a firefighter, a Mexican firefighter that went to
Katrina. When these the Republicans
created that disaster, we got 5 Mexican firefighters and we just
got there's another one where that Texan disaster that float
floating kill, you know, in over100 people.

(41:19):
And but a a disaster that could have been prevented if they have
FEMA funds that they took to terrorize other communities.
And we had Mexican firefighters that came in from the border to
help people in the humanitarian effort to save lives.
So we got to stand like who is saving lives?
Who stands up for the secrecy oflife and human rights and the

(41:40):
dignity of the human being and constitutional rights and those
who are there for money and profit.
Look at the bribery. I mean, them home and under, I
mean, is just it's really embarrassing, you know, to see
what's happening. And I think this is a call for
action. So I am in this moment, you
know, very humble to be able to to work with so many wonderful
leaders in our city fighting back.

(42:00):
And I encourage everybody in whatever community, don't let
fear and terror, you know, be the future for all of us.
You know, there's the world of humanity that we can fight for,
all of us, collectively. The Illinois Coalition of
Immigrant Refugee Rights, ISER and immigration attorneys have
obviously been in contact with your office and with the city.

(42:24):
What have they been supplying you an information on right now?
Because I think right now the know your rights, even though I
do, even though I do believe it's very important, ICE agents
are going very rogue. They're just dismissing, you
know, going into people's homes and just arresting people.
Both the US citizenship legalization status and non

(42:45):
legalization status. What has that conversation been
like to this point right now? Well, I think that what?
We're telling our neighbors is like, you know, or vulnerable
neighbors, you know, given, likeyou said, the level of
lawlessness and disregard for even, you know, court orders by,
by federal judges. I think that it's important that

(43:06):
we that's what we've been telling our neighbors to stay at
home. We're building a network just
like in the pandemic. In fact, a lot of our neighbors
refer these as a as a pandemic style crisis, self-inflicted
crisis, racist crisis. But nevertheless, you know, that
is keeping people home. People are missing a school,
hospital appointments, you know,even going to church because of
what they see in the level of intimidation.

(43:28):
So in, in a moment like this, you know, I think that our
neighbors, our neighbors are connecting.
They're connecting with one another.
Our neighbors are, are, are, arebuilding networks that neighbors
are solidarity where we need to,you know, help our neighbors,
you know, get the kids to school.

(43:48):
And he's sad and he's really, it's painful to see kids alone,
You know, and I have, I talked to a mom that was kind of like
7, that was like taking seven kids to school, you know, you
know, people who can all, you know, leave their home.
But unfortunately, these are necessary precautions so that we
cannot, we don't put anyone at risk, right?
So we're saying yes, because of the level of lawlessness and and

(44:10):
shameful actions and disregard for the rule of law.
It is better. Almost that we, we just tell
people don't take any chances, right?
At least in the next few weeks also because the, as you know,
that temporary restricted the the temporary restraining order
is, is for two weeks. And, and, and our concern is
that they are in, you know, instigating continuing as you
saw like tear gas just yesterday, right?

(44:33):
More provocations, more, more violence, You know, you know, we
saw the doxing against people who are like, you know, who have
been leaders in our community presenting no threat.
You know, So in, in, in this moment, in, in time, you know,
we're telling people that we will continue to fight in every,
like I said, going out and protesting civil disobedience,

(44:54):
fighting, you know, fighting lawsuits about all means
necessarily fighting laws, you know, by by all times, rapid
response and all by all means necessary.
Reality is that these individuals, these masked
individuals, you know, have a level of hate that you know,
it's evident in their actions. And that we wouldn't want, we

(45:16):
don't want anyone, none of our neighbors to be subject of
victims of such dehumanization. Children to see such a
dehumanization. The level of trauma that is
purposeful to inflict the level of trauma to condemn an entire
generation. And we must fight to protect
those children and making sure that those children and I think
that they that and I know that they listen to us and they

(45:37):
seeing what we're doing and theyalso see that we're fighting for
them. In continuation of what you're
sharing right now, I have, I have observed that there's been
different wards are now issuing out, issuing out whistles to
neighbors to signal of an ICE presence and an abduction that

(46:00):
is happening in real time. There have been on Facebook
groups or on social media of rapid response and ice and where
they're being present at. And I think it's also very
important to note that it's veryimportant to like be very
descriptive of the information rather than just say that
they're there and then creating chaos and panic.

(46:20):
I think I was wondering if you could share more about what
communities are actually doing right now to form groups and to
form ways to keep communities safe.
I think this is very important for for folks that are feeling
very scared right now, but also as an opportunity for other

(46:41):
cities and towns to be aware of what communities here are doing
right now to, to to combat this.Yeah.
So I think like what we we made the biggest effect is in our own
neighborhood, in our own block, like in our own community.
So it'll be a parent, you know, like as a parent, you know,
having maybe the same schedule, right, being able to check in

(47:02):
with school. Are there other parents that
maybe need, you know, accommodations?
We're also being asked, we went to the last Board of Education
asking for the remote, you know,virtual option, you know, for
some families who, who for different reasons cannot,
cannot, cannot do it, You know, volunteering your local pantry,
you rapid response so that, you know, we can help deliver food,

(47:22):
right? Making sure that like you said,
in every ward, in every, at every neighbor or neighborhood
based organization that we have a plan, you know, or how we can
help and we can make, you know, be, be part of the rapid
response. Be one of those people who are
part of the volunteers that adopt A block or a corner block,
right? When people come out from
regular or when they are community events and people are

(47:44):
afraid to come out, you know, they can volunteer.
So there are many, many ways locally at every level that you
can volunteer. There's so many, there's so much
need. Again, you may not even just
organic things. We saw like just today a great
group of volunteers who were saying, look, we're going to
help us treat vendors right. We're going to, you know, do a
little fundraising and help a few vendors so they can pay

(48:04):
rent, so they have a little bit of assistance to pay for, for
the groceries and so forth. So there's many, many ways that
I think at the local level, checking and making sure that
Alderman are actually taking a stance.
And it's really shameful that 13all the persons didn't sign on
the letter to condemn what happened to other person Fuentes
who was arrested by simply asking for a judicial, A

(48:24):
judicial warrant. I mean, that's what I think we
got to ask to draw the line, Ryan, in terms of like.
What are we really standing for,right?
And I think. You know every.
Local automatic office and I'm glad to see to your point.
More of them, right? Because at the beginning we're
not a lot of them, but now they see this is not only an
immigrant community issue, this is everywhere, right?
And every community. They did it in South Shore, they

(48:46):
did it in Rogers Park, they're living in Humboldt Park, right?
They did it in little bit. So they're doing it in the
suburbs in Berwin and all that. So the interconnection.
So now we're also talking to your point with all the persons
in Berwin, in Aurora. How we can how we can coordinate
legislative Air Force lawsuits, right?
How do we find ways to connect with more legal resources,
right? So there's volunteers, you know,

(49:07):
we have a coalition also would like to say that the Chicago
United Families Coalition and there's a coalition where, you
know, we have a legal, you know,a legal volunteers or we can try
to connect people because we seethe gaps, you know, ISR all cut.
A lot of these organizations do a lot, and there's a lot just to
monitor and document. What's happening?
And it's been an important effort to ask to document when

(49:31):
they break the law so we will hold them accountable.
Those things will come out to the day of day.
I mean, as you know, when dictators fall.
You know, things are going to beinvestigated and I think that
this in this a moment of time, you know, I think the the eyes
for efforts, you know, are are fantastic in terms of the you
know, the the the the guidance and all your rights.
And we also need to defend the rights because not enough to,

(49:55):
you know, know it right. So now and and and holding a
kind of documenting but also lawsuits right to.
Import. You know, when there's lawsuits,
You know, when we need to, you know, file legislation.
So we have, you know, you know, elected officials, faith
leaders, community leaders. And then when we push back, so
also how we can communicate to our communities, right, and
inform them in a time of misinformation.

(50:16):
So please check out the Chicago United Families Coalition, CUFC,
right? There's where we are working
together with the Muslim community, the Latino community,
Christians, you know, across faith and interfaith.
This is intergenerational, this is intercultural, this is
intergenerational. This is all of us working people
building a United a strong frontto dismantle fascism and fight

(50:41):
back on this attack on our city,but also on our Constitution, on
human rights. We must hold the line.
What can folks outside of Chicago do to support Chicago
families? I know that you have alluded to
it, you know, specifically towards a Chicago residents, but
what can they consider, you know, doing in terms of trying

(51:03):
to aid in aid in the response toChicago residents being harassed
and with ICE and also how can they help to support elected
officials and and community organizations here?
Yeah, I think like if you know, people can you know, support in
terms of like supporting, you know, I was there like or, or

(51:25):
city, you know, like if if you you know, in a way support of
small businesses, support of ourorganizations.
If you see efforts when you can volunteer your time or or
donate. This is the moment where, you
know, we create systems of care,right?
Because we have issues of food insecurity that were created
because of the federal government cutting programs,
billions of dollars in cuts. We also see the, the, the issues

(51:48):
of communities that have lost medical care, 534,000
Illinoisans lost medical care. So it's a huge need.
So connecting with community clinics, you know, you know,
volunteering, you know, we have a massive need of, of resources.
For rental assistance, you name it right so working you know, in
your own communities, you know setting up a strong rapid

(52:11):
response and and advocacy groupsin.
Places like Berwyn, Sister Aurora.
Wherever there's also issues andand again, another thing that
we're thinking is important is mobilizing for the common vision
right, Because you know there's also the role of government to
provide because. You know, there's so much that
philanthropy and and organic efforts can do when the when the
need is so great, right? We have entire families

(52:33):
suffering and our cities being suffocated a state by the
federal government withholding of funds.
So, you know, getting connected,you know, to make sure that we
mobilize at every level to advocate for government, you
know, to tax the rich. To tax the millionaires, tax
these corporations like Uber, you know, Lyft and these
corporators, you know, try to tax, you know, as as, as, as we

(52:55):
say those corporations that are complicit, those billionaires
make them pay their first year. There's a surcharge of 3.5% that
Illinoisans already voted acrossthe state receive over 60% of
support. That 3% surcharge of
millionaires will generate $4.5 billion.
To the state. So we got to.
Demand more, as you said of the governor for people to say,

(53:16):
look, tax the rich so that we don't become a target of the
powerful and and and super rich.So this is the moment again that
we can like in your own community, in your own
municipality, but there's many calling you legislators just as
powerful, calling your donation,your time, connecting with one
another, connecting your own neighborhood, connecting between
neighborhoods or cities and build this network when we are

(53:38):
fighting for the common vision of working people.
You know that we pay that we over tax, right, while the Super
rich don't want to pay and payless.
They just got the biggest subsidy from Trump in the
history of our country, a massive trillion dollar, you
know, break they can pay, but weare being you know, we're being

(53:58):
we're being suffocated and we cannot where we have businesses
that have like cannot even moneyto pay rent or mortgages, right.
So it is important that the richand powerful, you know, these
corporations, greedy corporations and billionaires
pay the fresh air is about. And a lighter question, or at
least more of an individual question to you is how are you

(54:19):
taking care of yourself? Because you are a father of
three of triplets. And I know Loreen has been very
busy. I know she's a fighter.
I mean, I've known her for several years.
I know she has a lot of fight inher too.
So I'm curious, like, how are you and the staff trying to take
care of yourself, especially in this very unpredictable, violent
time that we're going through right now?
Yeah, I know it's, you know, it's important.

(54:41):
I think we check with each other.
You know, I think that I am veryfortunate to have a good support
system with my, when I, with my family, you know, Lorraine and
the kids and you know, my extended family and our team,
you know, in the 25th Ward, you know, very caring people, very
committed, dedicated people. And you know, that that we can
have also fun, you know, from time to time, you know, you

(55:05):
know, we, you know, just as you know, as a few anecdotes, you
know, sometimes, you know, from time to time, you know, we we
get to, you know, talk and, you know, spend some time with
people and just at the human level.
So we saw Ramón Ayala, which is a big artist in Mexico, retire
here his career, you know, at 8 years old, he started in Pilsen
and wanted to finish it in Chicago.
And he was so proud of showing his dual citizenship was a sold

(55:28):
out show in old state. You know, we were able to give
him like a an honorary resolution and declaring
terminal a day in Chicago September 12th.
So I think that, you know, when we see, you know, the ability
also to, to, to connect, you know, to connect with our
community, you know, through events, through different ways.

(55:49):
I mean, today we were talking with veterans.
I mean, yesterday we were talking with veterans who came
from DC and we're supporting this.
And you know, just, you know, I'm just having a conversation,
being able to connect with people.
I just you know what, I think the sense of community really
uplifts and also, you know, sometimes, you know, some some
taking taking some time, you know, to, you know, yesterday,

(56:13):
you know, I, you know, I went towatch the bulls too with the
Google veterans. So, you know, sometimes,
sometimes it's important, you know, and.
I think it made me very. Proud to see Chicago, you know,
the best, you know, and our verybest in the solidarity of
people. How many people greeted and say,
look, you know, we, we were fighting, you know, so I just,
you know, I, I think in this moment, you know, I love sports.

(56:34):
So I, you know, I hope to get back to soccer soon.
I kind of took a break, but I, you know, I used to play, you
know, every weekend, but of course with the kids right now,
we just play with each other. But maybe, you know, you know,
looking into getting back to some of that, But it's being
like I said it, the solidarity of people has been really
uplifting and, and very humble, you know, very honored to be in

(56:55):
Chicago and, and, and in this struggle with Chicagoans and,
and a lot of people, great people are all over the, all
over the, the country. You know, I think yesterday we
also we jolly one of the influencers, a veteran
influencer that came from DC and, you know, wanted to come to
Peelson and we ended up going toone of the he went to see.
Well, I want to see a local bar and we went to El Trevo and

(57:17):
there was a lot of people who recognize him and it's just the
level of solidarity. And he was talking about like,
like, I don't know what people hate or diversity when I love
it. And he was just loving his
Modelo and having a so I just gave us a a little bit of of
hope in the in the middle of alldarkness.
Just see each other's humanity and respect and love for one
another. You know, sometimes it's, you

(57:37):
know, just having, having a drink can give a a lot of a lot
of perspective, you know? Yeah.
And I just want to say by closing that, thank you so much
for being on my show at the lastminute.
I think last night I was doing laundry and I was like thinking,
you know, I'm trying to figure out who I could bring out
because our local journalists are very busy and obviously we

(58:00):
have seen what's going on with them.
And so I was like, who else can I talk to?
And I thought about your wife. And I was like, oh, wait a
minute, I can try checking with Byron.
And thank you so much for being on my show.
Thank you so much for sharing somuch insight as to what's going
on in your ward and also throughout Chicago and what's
happening and, and how Chicagoans are responding to

(58:23):
this. And so I think this is very
important for folks to hear this.
And I hope and thank you for your work in the community.
And I hope nothing but the best for you and, and and and the
community itself that's dealing with this.
Thank you. Likewise, I appreciate it.
And so I was a little tired. So I appreciate your patience

(58:46):
for this, you know, today. I appreciate it.
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