Chicago: ICE Arrests Surge at Courthouses, Sparking Outcry From Advocates and Lawmakers

ICE agents detain three people at Bridgeview courthouse in one day

Immigration agents detained three people at the Cook County Bridgeview Courthouse in a single day, according to witnesses and confirmation from the Department of Homeland Security. The arrests include a young Venezuelan man and a Venezuelan mother with her minor child.

Rania Salem, a member of the Southwest Suburbs Rapid Response Team, was at the courthouse on Wednesday morning responding to reports of ICE activity when she witnessed the arrests. She said she saw at least five ICE vehicles at the scene.

"All the agents swarmed the vehicle." Salem said. "And at that point, the agents grabbed him, and they threw him onto the floor."

The man, Denny Gabriel Perez Ospino, had just finished a court appearance for misdemeanor retail theft charges. Salem said he was afraid to leave after learning immigration agents were waiting outside. She gave him a "Know Your Rights" card and tried to arrange for a volunteer to accompany him to his ride.

Perez Ospino ran toward a pickup vehicle in heavy rain. Salem initially thought he had made it safely inside. Instead, agents moved in. He then ran back toward the courthouse, apparently seeking protection inside the building. Salem said agents followed him in.

She tried to obtain a phone number for a family member so she could notify them. She said officers prevented her from getting that information and did not respond when she demanded to see a warrant for the arrest.

State law bars warrantless immigration arrests at courthouses

Illinois law prohibits warrantless civil immigration arrests in and around courthouse buildings. A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security did not answer questions about whether agents had warrants for the Bridgeview arrests.

DHS confirmed the arrests in a statement to the Chicago Tribune. The agency said Perez Ospino faces a retail theft charge and was released by the Biden administration in November 2023 after being apprehended by Border Patrol.

DHS also confirmed the arrest of Saray Yuliandris Gonzalez-Gonzalez and her son. The agency said Gonzalez-Gonzalez faces a retail theft charge, was released by the Biden administration in September 2023, and received a final order of removal in May 2024.

"The three will remain in ICE custody pending removal proceedings and will receive full due process," the DHS spokesperson said.

Rep. Rashid calls the arrests unlawful

Rep. Abdelnasser Rashid (D-Bridgeview) issued a statement calling the detentions unlawful. He described the arrests as "ICE abductions" at the Bridgeview Courthouse.

Kane County arrest and planned protest

The Bridgeview arrests are not isolated. On June 15, ICE agents arrested Jenner Edilzar Roldan-Perez, a Guatemalan national, at the Kane County Courthouse in St. Charles.

According to DHS, Roldan-Perez has a prior arrest for battery and domestic violence and has been subject to a removal order since October 2019.

Local organizations are planning a protest in response. We Can Lead Change Fox Valley and Fox Valley Activists are organizing a rally from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. Saturday, June 20, at the Kane County Judicial Center on Illinois Route 38 and Peck Roads in St. Charles.

Advocates say courthouse arrests are a new tactic

Immigration attorneys say courthouse arrests are not new, but they have become more visible in recent months. They argue that many of the people being detained while attending hearings have pending cases or have not been convicted of any crime.

Stephanie Spiro, associate director of protection-based relief at the National Immigrant Justice Center, said the recent arrests represent a different and more targeted approach.

"However, going to court and arresting people while they are going through the process, that is something that we are seeing more often," Spiro said.

She warned that the arrests could discourage crime victims and witnesses from interacting with law enforcement or the courts.

"People have a right to defend themselves and to go through the criminal process," Spiro said.

"Mega master" hearings accelerate deportations

Advocates are also tracking a separate trend inside immigration courts. Courts in Chicago, Indianapolis, and other cities have begun conducting what legal advocates call "mega master" hearings. Dozens of immigrants, many without attorneys, appear before a single immigration judge at the same time.

According to the National Immigrant Justice Center, some judges have held hearings involving more than 30 people simultaneously. Others have planned dockets of up to 100 people in a single day.

Observers reported seeing judges distribute "Respondent's Pleading Declaration" forms during some hearings. Immigration attorneys warn that individuals who sign those forms without fully understanding their implications could unintentionally waive important rights or limit their ability to challenge deportation.

Spiro said the hearings, combined with shortened timelines and new procedural requirements, have contributed to a surge in removal orders issued when immigrants fail to appear in court.

"The biggest numerical immediate part of this is just those in absentia removal orders," Spiro said. "It is judges ordering people removed without ever hearing their case."

DHS says it targets criminal aliens

In its statement, DHS said its enforcement efforts are focused on "Making America Safe Again" and that officers continue to prioritize immigrants with criminal histories.

"ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Officers carry out targeted operations against criminal illegal aliens to enforce immigration laws passed by the people's representatives in Congress," the spokesperson said.

The agency said it shifted its enforcement strategy after the launch of last fall's Operation Midway Blitz.