Waukegan Residents Face Threatening 'ICE' and 'MAGA' Signs: Mayor Calls It 'Pure Hatred'

Threatening signs featuring ICE shark imagery and MAGA slogans have appeared on light poles and trees throughout Waukegan and North Chicago over the past week, sparking fear in the immigrant community and prompting police intervention in both cities.

The signs first showed up in Waukegan about a week ago. Residents report that even as some are removed, new ones appear in their place.

Signs depict violent imagery

One sign shows a shark with the word ICE drawn on top. Another features a crudely drawn alien superimposed over target practice images, with MAGA written below.

"This is a direct threat to the undocumented. This person would be telling us right here that he is ready to shoot someone," said United Giving Hope Pastor Julie Contreras.

Waukegan resident Aurora Flores said she personally removed about a dozen of the signs.

"When I saw one, we decided to investigate and ended up finding a bunch of them in front of different homes. It's in front of high-traffic areas," Flores said.

Flores pointed out that the signs use imagery designed to attract children.

"I recognized immediately the shark imagery that they tend to use. It shows birthday balloons so that children take notice and then can be frightened by the words written on it," Flores said.

Surveillance captures suspect at work

Surveillance video from the area near Ridgeland Avenue and Jackson Street appears to show someone using a ladder to install one of the signs in the middle of the night. The timestamp on the footage partially obscures the video, according to ABC7 Chicago.

Mayor condemns the signs

Waukegan Mayor Sam Cunningham spoke out against the signs and whoever is placing them.

"This is not acceptable for anybody, regardless of what side you want to be on, freedom of speech. This is pure hatred," Cunningham said.

Cunningham urged residents to report the signs to police rather than attempting to remove them themselves.

Police in both cities alerted

Police in both Waukegan and North Chicago have been made aware of the situation. In North Chicago, new signs appeared overnight, drawing police to the scene.

"I happened to look out the window and saw one car, police sitting right there. And then, another pulled up," said North Chicago resident Cordell Wise.

Residents gathered in Waukegan on Sunday to speak out against what they describe as a clear threat to the immigrant community.

According to ABC7 Chicago, the first reports of the signs came from North Chicago before spreading to Waukegan.