Rocío wasn’t doing anything wrong. She was driving through her own neighborhood in Cicero, Illinois — a town that’s nearly 90% Latino — when unidentified agents in black vehicles pulled her over and questioned her about her citizenship. She was not breaking the law. She had valid ID. And still, she was targeted.

The agents never said what agency they were from. They gave no reason for the stop. They left her shaken, humiliated, and afraid to go anywhere without her documents — even though she has every legal right to be here.

Cicero’s leadership claims it doesn’t cooperate with immigration enforcement. They point to a “Safe Space” resolution passed in 2008. But what happened to Rocío proves that’s not enough. When federal agents can roam our streets and stop residents for how they look or sound — and when our town president stays silent or, worse, makes hateful comments about immigrants — the community is not safe.

We are calling on Cicero officials to act now. It is not enough to rely on old resolutions or vague promises. Our neighbors need protection, not political posturing. Cicero must adopt a real sanctuary ordinance that makes it illegal for local officials to collaborate in immigration enforcement. And the town’s leadership must publicly condemn racial profiling and unlawful stops like the one Rocío endured.

No one should be afraid to leave home, drive their car, or raise their children in the town they’ve always called home. Cicero is a community of immigrants, families, and workers — and it deserves leadership that reflects those values.

Rocío did everything right. She still got stopped. Now we need to stop this from happening to anyone else.

Photo Credit: Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune