[Bischöflicher Nachrichtendienst] Chicago Bishop Paula Clark this week visited a detained immigrant from her diocese who is being held at a facility in Michigan. There he spoke to Clark about “the emotional toll of his incarceration – the isolation, the uncertainty and the hardships he faces on a daily basis.”
Clark issued a written statement after visiting Willian González on Oct. 7 at the North Lake Detention Center in Baldwin, Michigan, north of Grand Rapids. González, a member of St. Paul and the Redeemer Episcopal Church in Chicago, Illinois, has been in federal custody since September 12th.
“As an asylum seeker with a valid work permit, he is confused by his ongoing detention and deeply concerned for the well-being of his wife and children, for whom he is the primary breadwinner,” Clark said. “Despite these challenges, Willian remains rooted in his faith and expressed deep gratitude for the support of his church community.”
Episcopalians in González’s community and throughout the Chicago Diocese have stood up for him, including at an Oct. 7 vigil hosted by St. Paul and the Redeemer Church. He was scheduled to appear at an immigration hearing the next morning, but it was postponed until October 29.
“We ask for continued prayers and support for Willian, his family and his community in the coming weeks. His journey is difficult, but he remains resilient – strengthened by the love and solidarity of those who stand with him,” Clark said. “I thank him for the support and prayers he continues to receive and for our diocese’s unwavering commitment to justice and compassion.”
Clark’s visit to the detention center came as tensions between local politicians and federal immigration authorities escalated this week. The Trump administration pushed to send troops to Chicago, citing the need for a military presence to protect and support immigration officials who have been conducting raids in the city since early September. The governor of Illinois and the mayor of Chicago called the mobilization of troops an unnecessary provocation. The state authorities filed a lawsuit to prevent the military intervention.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is taking an increasingly aggressive approach to enforcing immigration laws in Chicago, the nation’s third-largest city. This is part of the Trump administration’s efforts to increase arrests and deportations and fulfill its campaign promise to dramatically reduce legal and illegal immigration. More than 1,000 immigrants were arrested in Chicago last month.
On October 9, a federal judge temporarily blocked the sending of federal troops and National Guard members to Chicago. The Trump administration’s descriptions of the potential dangers in the city are “simply unreliable.”
