Tips were clutch when we were chasing Bovino, ICE

When U.S. Border Patrol Cmdr. Greg Bovino and immigration enforcement agents were spotted in the Chicago area, my phone would blow up. That was my cue to get in my car with my cameras, gear and PPE.

Those texts often came from members of community teams that responded when federal agents arrived. The Sun-Times wants to lead the coverage when any big news is happening in our city, and especially when the federal government is taking action that is upsetting many Chicagoans. We don’t take a position on what the government is doing, but we must bear witness to keep our neighbors informed.

So, I or another member of our photo team was at the ICE detention center in suburban Broadview nearly every day. We captured federal agents making high-profile displays on the Chicago River and on Michigan Avenue. And we followed caravans of agents through Little Village, Edgewater, Pilsen, Rogers Park, other neighborhoods and out to the suburbs.

Often by the time we’d arrive in response to a report of someone being detained, the agents would be gone, but they’d be nearby. And we’d find them. By watching the movement of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security helicopter in the sky, keeping the windows down to listen for rapid responders' whistles and alerts, searching for SUVs with out-of-state license plates — and whatever else it took. Even now, I still jump at the sound of a whistle.

One day, I was supposed to be off to photograph a wedding in Michigan. I was doing my hair and putting on heels while also following rapid responders' locations and texting minute-to-minute updates to photographer Anthony Vazquez. He eventually caught up with a caravan of agents and was able to document multiple arrests as the caravan traveled around the city.

The PPE — which includes a respirator, safety goggles, helmet, bulletproof vest, first aid kit and decontamination wipes — is essential to doing our jobs safely. We had to cover scenes where federal agents were shooting pepper balls and rubber projectiles and deploying tear gas.

Another day, when I was taking over for Anthony at the Broadview facility, my respirator strap broke. I took Anthony’s and threw it on without assessing how wet it would be with his sweat and saliva. It was like borrowing his toothbrush. It was so gross. But you do what you have to do to stay safe and do your job, right?

That day, I was able to get an important image from "Operation Midway Blitz" — a federal agent deployed pepper spray in the face of the Rev. David Black at close range.

On another day outside the ICE facility in Broadview, it was quiet. Then we got a tip that Bovino and crew were in the Loop for the first time, so I took off.

I was scouring social media while stuck in Loop traffic and stopped at red lights. I was driving down Michigan Avenue and spotted the tail end of their walking caravan. I pulled over and left my car in a "no parking" zone near Michigan and Wacker with the hazard lights on. I bolted out of my car and sprinted across the river just in time to see them loading a child into one of their vehicles. I stayed with them until reporter Chip Mitchell joined me.

Chip pulled up in his car as the agents and I were still briskly walking in the Loop and asked how best to proceed. I yelled, “Stay on them! We can’t lose them. I have to go move my car!”

Chip continued to follow them in his car while I moved mine. Luckily, I did not get towed or get a ticket. I caught back up with Chip and the caravan and watched Bovino and agents pursue a man in River North, ask him about his citizenship status and arrest him.

That’s what led Chip to later ask Bovino directly how they identify people to pick up, and Bovino said it was based partly on “how they look.” That story got national attention, and we might never have gotten it if not for our legwork and teamwork.