FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Tuesday, November 25, 2025

Media Contact

Ivonne Rodriguez, ivonne@anabelforcongress.com

CHICAGO — Following news that Rep. Lauren Underwood (IL-14) toured the Broadview ICE Facility and called the conditions at the facility – located within Illinois’ 7th Congressional District – “terrible,” Anabel Mendoza, a lifelong Chicagoan, immigrant rights organizer, and the youngest candidate running for Illinois’ 7th Congressional District, issued the following statement: 

“The conditions as described at Broadview are disgraceful, and no human being should ever be treated this way. As the proud daughter and granddaughter of Mexican immigrants, I know firsthand how hard immigrants work to contribute to our communities. Since the launch of ‘Operation Midway Blitz,’ masked agents have terrorized our communities with impunity. Community leaders and everyday neighbors have been detained, families have been separated, and U.S. citizens have been targeted and denied due process. 

“With threats of at least 1,000 more federal agents returning to Chicago in the coming months, we cannot let our guard down. ICE’s violence has not stopped, and Chicagoans will continue to come together across race, faith, and immigration status to demand transparency and accountability at every turn. We need courageous leaders in Congress who will use every tool available to protect our communities and hold accountable those who have acted with reckless abandon. In Congress, I will be that leader.”

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Anabel Mendoza is a community organizer, immigrant advocate, and the youngest candidate running for Congress in Illinois’ 7th District. A lifelong Chicagoan and the proud daughter and granddaughter of immigrants, she has dedicated her career to fighting for working families, immigrant rights, and a government that serves people, not corporations. She’s running to bring unity, honesty, and courage to Washington. For more information, visit www.anabelforcongress.com