Additional Coverage:
- Shocking moment ‘very scared’ man thrown to ground in ICE arrest – before agents mysteriously walk off (themirror.com)
Viral Video Captures Aggressive ICE Detention Attempt in Chicago’s West Lawn, Fuels Community Outrage
CHICAGO, IL – A new video widely circulating on social media shows U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents aggressively attempting to detain an individual in Chicago’s West Lawn neighborhood, sparking significant outrage within an already tense community. The incident comes as “Operation Midway Blitz” continues to draw criticism across the city.
The footage, recorded on a cell phone by Sam Hassan, owner of Maxcare Auto Shield, depicts two men, identified as ICE agents, stopping a person in the middle of the street near 63rd Street and Kostner Avenue, blocking traffic as they approached his car.
“The first thing I saw was they were pinning him against the car. Both of the guys were struggling to subdue him and try to take him to the ground,” Hassan recounted to CBS News Chicago.
The video then shows the individual on all fours, with an agent on his back, attempting to hold him to the ground. In a dramatic moment, the man seemingly grabbed one of the agent’s radios and threw it to a bystander before he was eventually zip-tied.
Hassan noted that a crowd of community members quickly gathered, and the scene grew increasingly vocal as residents pleaded with the ICE agents to release the unidentified man.
Suddenly, the agents released the man and swiftly drove off, leaving bystanders confused yet relieved. The precise reason for their sudden departure remains unclear.
Dr. Arthur Lurigio, a criminology professor at Loyola University, speculated on the unusual encounter. “Along the way, in trying to take him into custody, they discovered they didn’t have the basis to do it- somebody may have been challenging them at the scene,” he suggested.
Dr. Lurigio also pointed out a potential issue with the agents’ conduct: one of them was reportedly dressed in plain clothes, lacking a visible uniform or identification.
“He had nothing to identify who he was. Why he was there?
Where he was from? That’s a mystery.
It should never be a mystery if a person’s freedom is being taken away from them on the street,” he stated. “They were trying to grab this man, for whatever reason, and to place him under arrest.
That’s taking his freedom away. We need to know who’s doing that and why.”
This incident highlights a recent legal development: a federal judge’s ruling on Thursday now requires federal immigration agents who are not working undercover to display visible identification whenever they are on duty in Chicago and surrounding areas.
The strange encounter further escalates rising tensions and weeks of protests in Chicago, where residents have been demonstrating against ICE’s presence in their city.
This climate of unrest follows a notable prior incident where Marimar Martinez, a 31-year-old U.S. citizen residing in Chicago, was shot five times by an ICE officer in Brighton Park. Newly surfaced body camera footage from that event reportedly shows a federal agent taunting the woman to “do something, b–” before opening fire. “It’s a miracle she’s still alive,” said Christopher Parente, Martinez’s attorney.
According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), federal agents have arrested over 1,000 migrants in Chicago as part of the highly controversial “Operation Midway Blitz,” a mission stated to crack down on crime and undocumented migration in the city.
“During Operation Midway Blitz, our brave DHS law enforcement has made more than 1,000 arrests across Illinois, including pedophiles, child abusers, kidnappers, gang members, and armed robbers,” said DHS assistant secretary Tricia McLaughlin. “Our patriotic law enforcement officers are making these arrests despite working without pay because of the Democrats’ shutdown. President Trump and Secretary Noem will not allow continued violence or repeat offenders to terrorize our neighborhoods and victimize our children,” she added.
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker has publicly denounced ICE’s operation in Chicago, describing the treatment of protesters and detainees as “inhumane.” “It is clear federal agents cannot be trusted to act to protect the safety and constitutional rights of the public,” he stated.