ICE Accused of Violating Rights in Chicago Arrests

In the first weeks of President Donald Trump’s second term, 22 people, including a U.S. citizen, were arrested by federal immigration authorities, according to Chicago activists and lawyers.  The arrests are said to be in violation of a 2022 agreement between federal agencies and Chicago groups that outlines the authority of U.S. Immigration Customs and Enforcement officers to undertake “collateral arrests,” in which agents detain people other than the ones they are targeting.  Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Missouri, Kentucky, and Wisconsin—all under the purview of the Chicago-based ICE office—are covered by the agreement, which was reached in response to a lawsuit regarding the 2018 immigration sweeps. Last Monday, the NIJC filed a federal complaint on behalf of advocacy groups in Chicago, outlining the alleged infractions.  The agreement states, among other things, that ICE officers can only make an arrest without a warrant if they have reason to believe that the subject of the arrest is likely to flee. The organizations are calling for, among other things, the release of two individuals who are still in custody, penalties for arresting officers, and increased openness in the agency’s activities. The deadline for the federal government to reply in court is early April.  In May, the existing contract comes to an end.

Source: ABC News