Chicago suburb fires officer over social media posts tied to federal immigration crackdown

ELGIN, Ill. - The City of Elgin has fired a police officer after an investigation found he violated department policies during the height of a federal immigration enforcement operation last fall.

What we know:

Police Officer Jason Lentz was terminated following an independent investigation into social media posts he made in October 2025, according to city officials.

The investigation found Lentz suggested that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Customs and Border Protection conduct enforcement actions at three locations in Elgin and nearby communities. The posts also tagged those agencies.

The posts came during "Operation Midway Blitz," a federal effort under the Trump administration targeting illegal immigration across the Chicago area.

Lentz was placed on administrative leave on Oct. 16, 2025. According to the investigation, his posts violated departmental policies and standard operating procedures.

Police Chief Ana Lalley reviewed the investigative findings and determined termination was the appropriate disciplinary action, a decision backed by the city’s corporation counsel and city manager.

The City of Elgin Civilian Review Board also reviewed the findings and recommended termination. The board provides disciplinary recommendations in cases involving alleged police misconduct.

What we don't know:

Officials did not release details about the specific locations mentioned in the posts, and it’s also unclear whether any federal enforcement actions were taken based on the posts.

What they're saying:

In a statement, Chief Lalley said the firing was necessary to maintain community trust.

"Lentz’s termination for misconduct is warranted and necessary to uphold standards the community expects and deserves," Lalley said. "His actions do not reflect the standards of this agency. I ask the Elgin community to not judge our current and future officers based on the actions of one individual. The department remains committed to working with all members of the community to build lasting and meaningful relationships grounded in respect, understanding, accountability and trust. These values have not, and will not, change."

City Manager Rick Kozal also supported the decision, noting Lentz had faced discipline for similar behavior in the past.

"I wholly support Chief Lalley’s decision to terminate Lentz as a police officer," Kozal said. "I was among those in the city administration demanding Lentz’s firing in 2014 for similar misconduct. While an arbitrator ultimately overturned the city’s decision to fire Lentz and impose a six-month suspension instead, Elgin succeeded in establishing precedent for holding police officers accountable for inflammatory social media posts before such disciplinary action became the norm."

Dig deeper:

Separately, Lentz applied for a disability pension on Oct. 16, 2025, after working in a light-duty role following a 2023 on-duty injury.

The Elgin Police Pension Board approved that application on Feb. 24. City officials said the pension decision is independent of the disciplinary process and is not affected by his termination.