Three children who are U.S. citizens were held by border protection officers for several hours at O’Hare International Airport Thursday after arriving from Mexico with a relative, prompting a U.S. congresswoman, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot and the Mexican Consulate in Chicago to intervene and immigration activists to protest.

…The children were eventually released to their mother after an official from the Mexican Consulate helped negotiate an agreement that the girls’ mother could retrieve them without fear that she would be taken into custody herself. …She said she has applied for legal status but was afraid she would be detained if she went to the airport because she believes officials want to arrest the majority of immigrants who lack legal standing.

U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky, who happened to arrive at O’Hare from Washington Thursday afternoon, learned of the situation and made her way to the Customs and Border Protection office to try to help resolve the conflict. 

“I feel that it’s a kind of kidnapping of children by our government, and I’m really fed up with what we are doing,” Schakowsky said.

Schakowsky said the children had traveled with an adult who had a valid visa, though that could not be independently confirmed. The adult was being sent back Thursday to Mexico, she said.

“I’m going to try to go in and see why our government is acting this way to three minors that have every right to travel,” Schakowsky said before entering the Customs and Border Protection office. “Three citizens of the United States of America. What is going on here? This is completely out of control.”

Immigration officers at O’Hare detain 3 children who are U.S. citizens: Congresswoman calls it ‘kidnapping of children by our government’ – Chicago Tribune

hmmmm