A Monday Facebook video showed an attempted arrest by Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Gary.
The arrest attempt occurred at a CITGO gas station on Grand Boulevard in the city’s Miller neighborhood.
The individual involved and gas station management declined to comment Tuesday. ICE and the city of Gary both did not immediately respond to a request for comment, including about whether city officials assisted federal agents.
Gary City Hall was closed Tuesday for Veterans Day, according to the city’s Facebook page.
Officials have said that “Operation Midway Blitz” in Chicago and its surrounding suburbs also includes Lake County, Indiana, and federal agents have made their presence known on numerous occasions here, particularly in Gary, East Chicago and Hammond.
The Facebook video — which is about 45 seconds long — shows a woman yelling at ICE officers for their presence at the gas station, telling them to get off private property and that if they return, she will call the police. The woman also told officers to let her brother go, who was allegedly the person they attempted to arrest.
Multiple white, gray and black vehicles are seen in the video. A man is also seen yelling in the video, but his dialogue is incoherent.
The Facebook user who posted the video was unable to immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday.
Gary Mayor Eddie Melton has previously voiced his opposition to ICE in Northwest Indiana. In an Oct. 10 news release, Melton urged Gary residents “to remain calm, prioritize safety, and be informed of their rights.” He also provided various guidance for residents, including to prioritize safety, know their rights, don’t open doors unless agents show a warrant signed by a judge and to seek legal aid if they or someone they know is detained.
“While the Gary Police Department cannot legally interfere with the operations of a federal agency, our commitment remains to the safety and civil rights of every person who calls Gary home,” Melton previously said. “Our police officers are here to serve our community with dignity and respect for all people. … Gary is a city built on the foundation of the fight for human dignity and civil rights.”
mwilkins@chicagotribune.com