I just got an interesting tip from a supporter in the Midwest.
Local officials in Kankakee, Illinois are preparing for a program to expand the local airport’s runway to accommodate increased levels of deportation. A local blog – the Edgar County Watchdogs – has posted video of the local airport’s board meeting with a state representative to discuss the project. (Click here to watch.) The board discusses “the ICE Project” which would upgrade the airport’s capacity to handle larger airplanes used by a private company that carries out deportations. The airport expansion would be financed 90% by the federal government, 5% by the state government, and 5% by the local government. IDOT – the Illinois Department of Transportation – is apparently playing a large role.
The Chicago Tribune has reported that ICE is moving a major detention center from the Chicago suburbs to Kankakee, to support more overnight detentions of deportees. (Click here to read.) That project appears to have been initiated in October, under the Obama Administration.
This would be an interesting subject to follow up on. Underneath the chaos of daily headlines created by Trump’s tweets, methodical plans are being carried out to advance an agenda. This isn’t a conspiracy, these meetings aren’t being held in secret. But this is the kind of news item that is easy to overlook but could portend serious developments to come.