CHICAGO — Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers detained multiple immigrants outside a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) office in Chicago’s South Loop on Wednesday, prompting widespread outrage from elected officials, attorneys, and immigrant rights advocates.
Routine Check-Ins Turn Into Arrests
The detentions occurred shortly before 4 p.m. outside the ISAP (Intensive Supervision Appearance Program) office at 2400 South Michigan Avenue. Immigrants — many of them asylum seekers or individuals appealing deportation orders — had reportedly received text messages from ICE asking them to report to the office for case reviews.
“Your ICE officer has asked you to come to the office for a review of your case,” read one text shared with FOX 32 Chicago. “Please arrive on Tuesday, June 3rd or Wednesday, June 4th.”
But instead of routine appointments, several individuals were arrested, separated from their legal counsel, and loaded into vans.
Officials, Attorneys Blocked from Assisting Clients
Witnesses say some immigrants arrived with attorneys, but were denied legal access before being detained. Cynthia Fernandez, one of the lawyers on-site, said her client — a mother of three — was “blindsided” and brought her Bible, expecting a routine check-in.
“Just hearing them cry… it was just horrible because I couldn’t do anything,” Fernandez said.
Community advocates reported that at least one detained individual, Yolanda, is currently appealing her case in the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Her 17-year-old daughter has now been left alone in the city.
City Leaders Confront ICE, Call Tactics ‘Gestapo-like’
Several alderpersons, including Byron Sigcho-Lopez (25th), Jessie Fuentes (26th), Andre Vasquez (40th), and Anthony Quezada (35th), quickly arrived at the scene. Quezada described the ICE team’s approach as “Gestapo fashion,” claiming over 50 agents aggressively pushed through protesters.
“These are people who came to renew work permits and were abducted,” said Ald. Sigcho-Lopez.
“He’s leaving behind children,” added Ald. Fuentes.
“We’re seeing families separated and torn apart,” Vasquez noted.
Attempts by the group to physically block ICE vans from leaving the area were unsuccessful.
Mayor Brandon Johnson Condemns Operation
Mayor Brandon Johnson issued a strong statement condemning what he called a “reckless and dangerous escalation” by federal agents.
“Chicagoans have the right to protest the separation of family members by federal immigration enforcement,” he said. “All residents have the right to due process. We will continue to uphold the Welcoming City ordinance and the Illinois Trust Act.”
Chicago Police later clarified they were unaware of the ICE operation when responding to calls at the scene. No arrests were made by CPD, and officers did not participate in any federal enforcement actions.
Federal Push Follows Boulder Attack, DHS Says
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed that the operation was part of a broader campaign launched in response to a recent terror-related attack in Boulder, Colorado.
Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem released a statement:
“There is NO room in the United States for the world’s terrorist sympathizers. We will find you, deport you, and prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law.”
DHS indicated a renewed focus on visa overstays and asylum status reviews nationwide.
Advocates Say Detentions Violate Due Process
The Resurrection Project and other community organizers criticized the move, claiming that immigrants who complied with ICE requests were betrayed.
“The people detained today followed every rule… They weren’t allowed access to counsel, another example of due process being denied,” the group said in a statement.
Were you or someone you know impacted by ICE’s recent enforcement action in Chicago?
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