ICE violated rights of a US citizen and 21 others during arrests,
Chicago activists allege
[March 18, 2025]
By SOPHIA TAREEN
CHICAGO (AP) — Federal immigration agents violated the rights of 22
people, including a U.S. citizen, in immigration enforcement arrests
during the first weeks of President Donald Trump’s second term, Chicago
activists and attorneys alleged Monday.
The arrests allegedly violate a 2022 agreement between Chicago groups
and the federal government detailing how U.S. Immigration Customs and
Enforcement officers can make “ collateral arrests,” where agents detain
others besides those being targeted. The agreement, following a lawsuit
over 2018 immigration sweeps, covers Illinois, Indiana, Kansas,
Missouri, Kentucky and Wisconsin, which are under the ICE office in
Chicago.
“Every time you hear from this administration about how they're rounding
up gang members, terrorists, the worst of the worst, you need to take a
dose of reality," said Mark Fleming, an attorney with the National
Immigrant Justice Center, said at a news conference. "You need to dig
deeper to understand who exactly they are arresting.”
The NIJC detailed alleged violations in a federal complaint filed last
week on behalf of advocacy groups in Chicago. Among other things, the
agreement says ICE agents can make a warrantless arrest only when they
have evidence that an individual is likely to escape.
The groups are seeking the release of two people who remain detained,
sanctions against arresting officers and more transparency in how the
agency conducts its operations, among other things.
ICE declined comment Monday, citing pending litigation.
Aggressive immigration enforcement has been central to the Trump
administration's agenda, particularly in places such as Chicago that are
often called sanctuary cities because they limit cooperation between
federal immigration agents and local police. To send a message, the
Trump administration gathered top immigration officials in Chicago in
January to kick off an enforcement operation with cameras rolling live.
But there have been limited details on how the arrests are taking place
and what practices are being used.
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Yolanda Orozc wipes away a tear as she speaks about the arrest of
her husband, Abel Orozco, during a press conference to announce a
court action to prevent unlawful arrests the at the offices of the
National Immigrant Justice Center Monday, March 17, 2025, in
Chicago. (Anthony Vazquez/Chicago Sun-Times via AP)
While the 2022 settlement applied only to six states, the new
federal complaint could have nationwide implications. For instance,
advocates in other states could join the effort .
Of those arrested, one was deported, 19 were released on bond and
one was a U.S. citizen who was released after being handcuffed for
hours. Most in the complaint do not have criminal records aside from
one person with a driving under the influence charge, according to
attorneys.
Those detained include Abel Orozco Ortega, a 47-year-old man who was
arrested Jan. 26 while returning to his suburban Chicago home after
getting tamales for his family. According to the complaint, ICE was
actually looking for one of his sons in his 20s who has the same
name. Ortega, who is in the U.S. illegally, remains detained in
Indiana.
Family members said Monday that Ortega has no criminal record. His
wife has breast cancer, they said, and, they have struggled to make
mortgage payments without him.
“We’re all human, we deserve to be treated as such,” his son Eduardo
Ortega, a U.S. citizen, said at a news conference.
Twelve of the arrests came from a Feb. 7 immigration sweep at a
Mexican restaurant in Liberty, Missouri, where armed agents
questioned employees for hours before the lunch rush. The complaint
alleges agents did not have probable cause that the individuals were
likely to flee before a warrant could be issued.
The federal government has until early April to respond in court.
The current agreement expires in May.
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