CHICAGO – Federal agents carried out an immigration raid early Tuesday on Chicago’s South Side, taking at least 37 undocumented immigrants into custody in an area known to be frequented by Tren de Aragua gang members.
What we know:
The Department of Homeland Security said Wednesday that “some of the targeted subjects are believed to be involved in drug trafficking and distribution, weapons crimes, and immigration violators.”
The FBI confirmed in a statement to FOX 32 Chicago that their agency assisted U.S. Border Patrol in conducting a “targeted immigration enforcement operation.”
Video from overnight showed dozens of federal agents from Border Patrol, FBI and ATF gathered outside an apartment building in the 7500 block of S. South Shore Drive, in the South Shore neighborhood. No Chicago police officers took part in the operation.
Neighbors said they were awakened by loud noises in the middle of the night and saw federal agents dressed in military-style uniforms had surrounded the building.
“Honestly, I have a lot of mixed emotions about this. You know, I’ve just moved over here about a year ago, and just seeing it happen in person, it’s kind of sad. You hear people screaming, you hear loud bangs and pops,” he said.
A Border Patrol official told FOX News they were seeking six high-priority targets, including suspected members of Tren de Aragua, a Venezuelan criminal organization.
The official said the building had been overtaken by criminal undocumented immigrants.
The reports come a day after Gov. JB Pritzker announced that the Department of Homeland Security wants to deploy troops to protect immigration enforcement operations in Chicago. He said the Illinois National Guard had been alerted to the request.
‘Absolutely disgusting’
Local perspective:
On Tuesday afternoon, local activists and a state lawmaker denounced the raid, especially in a community that has been historically welcoming to others.
Veronica Castro, of the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant & Refugee Rights, said activists were speaking to neighbors after the raid. The neighbors said they saw at least two dozen people, including children, being arrested.
“It’s not right,” Castro said. “Folks were just trying to live their lives in this community.”
State Sen. Robert Peters (D-Chicago) said what happened overnight was “absolutely disgusting” and blasted the Trump administration for the immigration arrests which he argued do “nothing to make us safer.”
Castro reminded families seeking legal immigration support to call ICIRR’s family support network hotline at 855-435-7693.
The Source: The information in this story came from the FBI, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, video from the South Side raid, an eyewitness account, and previous FOX 32 reporting.
