Following the death of Renee Good, a woman killed by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency (ICE) agent, Elgin and surrounding communities held protests and vigils last week to stand in solidarity with Minneapolis.

“You know, it is a light bulb moment for, I think, a lot of Americans who didn’t know what was going on,” said Amanda Clark, a Batavia resident.

According to ABC News, Good, a 37-year-old Minnesota resident, was approached by two ICE officers who ordered her to exit her vehicle. After Good attempted to maneuver her car away from the officers, one of the agents discharged three shots into Good’s windshield, striking and killing her.

Following the widespread of video recordings of the incident, residents and politicians nationwide have engaged in heated debate around the fatal actions of ICE agents. 

“A lot of people are learning that, wait, this wasn’t the first person shot,” Clark said. 

According to Freedom For Immigrants, Keith Porter Jr., a Los Angeles resident, was killed by an off-duty ICE agent on New Year’s Eve. 

Many residents, like those in Batavia and Elgin, mourned those who lost their lives to the hands of ICE agents and in their detention facilities.

In Batavia, a vigil was held  near Peace Bridge on January 9 with about 30 people in attendance. Live music was played and spoken word was shared, and attendees all lit candles to memorialize Good.

Emotions flowed through the crowd of attendees. Some expressed frustration at the current administration, while others expressed consolation in that more people around the nation are being informed.

In Elgin, a protest was held across from Gail Borden Library and an interfaith prayer vigil at First Congregational Church of Elgin.  At the prayer vigil, all attendees were greeted at the door and  given a piece of cloth and permanent marker. They later were instructed to write on the cloth. 

“Prayer is my protest,” said Joshua Brockway, a Church of the Brethren minister.  

Jews, Muslims, Catholics, and Christians sat in pews facing the church pulpit. 

“I’m here because we are upset about the deportations happening without due process, the violence and cruelty happening because of the current administration,” said Peg Lehman, office manager of Congregation Knesth Israel in downtown Elgin. “Prayer was needed.” 

The names of almost 40 people who have been killed in relation to ICE were read. Some attendees bowed as their faces were filled with grief, and some members wept. 

“What they call death and void, we know as breath and voice,” said Dianha Ortega-Ehreth, executive director of Centro de Información, while reading a poem written by Amanda Gorman in response to Good’s death. 

An invitation to write on the prayer cloth was extended. With about 45 prayer cloths pinned, a wire line weighed heavy.

“This affects all of us,” said Tish Powell, an Elgin City Council member. “It’s not a surprise to me that we are here right now, but it makes me angry that we are here because we did not have to be.”

Powell went to the protest that was held before the prayer vigil. 

She said, “I’m here today because I pray. I needed to pray.”