Religious leaders denied request to deliver communion to detainees at Broadview facility

A delegation of Catholic priests, nuns and lay leaders were among hundreds of people from Chicago and the suburbs who marched from Maywood to Broadview on Saturday in hopes of delivering Holy Communion to detainees at the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement processing facility.

But after approaching Illinois State Police officers standing outside the facility, the group’s communion request was rebuffed.

The processing facility has been at the center of ongoing demonstrations in recent weeks. About 11 a.m., protesters marched down Lexington Street toward the center, praying and singing.

Illinois State Police Lt. Col. Jason Bradley called the facility with the religious leaders’ request to give communion. Bradley said ICE denied the request.

Bradley said no reason was given for the