- 22 arrests, including a U.S. citizen, allegedly violate 2018 lawsuit settlement terms.
- ICE accused of warrantless arrests without sufficient evidence of flight risk.
- Advocacy groups demand accountability, transparency, and release of detained individuals.
Federal immigration agents face renewed scrutiny following allegations by Chicago activists and attorneys that they violated a binding 2022 agreement during early 2020 enforcement operations. The National Immigrant Justice Center (NIJC) filed a federal complaint detailing how ICE allegedly detained 22 individuals, including a naturalized American citizen, through tactics prohibited under the court-monitored settlement. This agreement, stemming from contentious 2018 raids, mandates strict limitations on collateral arrestsacross six Midwestern states.
Legal experts highlight the case of Abel Orozco Ortega as emblematic of systemic issues. The 47-year-old father was reportedly detained in January when ICE agents mistakenly targeted his adult son. Despite lacking criminal charges beyond a decades-old immigration violation, Ortega remains detained in Indiana while his family struggles with mounting medical bills and mortgage payments. His wife’s breast cancer treatment and their children’s stability now hang in jeopardy, illustrating the human cost of aggressive enforcement.
The complaint further reveals troubling patterns in ICE’s Missouri operations. A February raid at a Liberty restaurant saw 12 employees detained for hours without clear justification. Attorneys argue agents lacked probable cause to believe these workers posed flight risks, a requirement for warrantless arrests under the 2022 agreement. With 19 detainees released on bond and one citizen improperly handcuffed for hours, advocates question the agency’s adherence to due process.
Chicago’s status as a sanctuary city amplifies these clashes. The Trump administration’s highly publicized January press conference, announcing intensified enforcement, appears to have directly contradicted local policies limiting police-ICE collaboration. Legal analysts suggest the current complaint could set nationwide precedents if courts affirm its arguments about warrantless detention protocols.
As the April response deadline approaches, immigrant rights organizations nationwide monitor this case’s potential to reshape enforcement practices. The outcomes could influence everything from detention transparency measures to the handling of mistaken identity cases, particularly in states with active sanctuary policies.