This browser does not support the Video element.
ICE sightings reported across Chicago as students return to school
Several communities are on edge after reports of possible Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity surfaced across Chicago on the first day of school.
CHICAGO - The Department of Homeland Security on Tuesday released new details about an ICE arrest following a vehicle crash Monday, saying a Venezuelan man fled from immigration officers and rammed an officer’s vehicle during a traffic stop.
DHS details Chicago ICE arrest
The backstory:
DHS identified the man as Robinson Mendez-Gutierrez and said ICE officers approached him Aug. 24 as part of what the agency described as "targeted enforcement operations."
According to DHS, an ICE officer activated emergency lights to stop Mendez-Gutierrez, but he allegedly refused to pull over and used his pickup truck to ram the officer’s vehicle. The agency said the officer was able to stop the pickup and arrest Mendez-Gutierrez without further incident.
Illinois State Police confirmed Monday that ICE agents were involved in a two-vehicle crash on Interstate 55 near the Damen Avenue exit. Police did not provide additional details about the circumstances of the crash.
DHS said Mendez-Gutierrez has a criminal history that includes arrests for possession of a controlled substance, driving-related offenses and illegal possession or transportation of liquor by a driver.
The agency also said Mendez-Gutierrez entered the United States illegally in 2023 and was released into the country under the Biden administration. DHS said he will remain in ICE custody while his removal proceedings continue.
Chicago ICE sightings
Big picture view:
The new statement comes as several Chicago communities have been on edge following reports of ICE activity on the first day of school Monday.
Ald. Julia Ramirez (12th) reported possible ICE sightings in McKinley Park, near 63rd Street and Pulaski Road, and near a Home Depot at 47th Street and Western Avenue. Videos circulating on social media appeared to show federal immigration agents in the McKinley Park area, though the reports could not be independently verified.
Ramirez also raised concerns about the I-55 crash, saying a Hispanic man driving a blue pickup truck was pursued by ICE agents before crashing into a concrete barrier and being detained.
Chicago Public Schools said it had not received reports of ICE incidents at schools.
DHS defended the actions of its officers in Tuesday’s statement, saying ICE officers are facing sharp increases in assaults, vehicle attacks and death threats. The agency said nearly 70% of ICE arrests involve immigrants it describes as having been charged or convicted of a crime in the United States.
The arrest remains part of a broader wave of immigration enforcement activity that has prompted concern among some Chicago residents and elected officials as the new school year gets underway.
The Source: The information in this report came from the Department of Homeland Security, Illinois State Police, Chicago Public Schools and Ald. Julia Ramirez.