Pressure grows on Cook County State’s Attorney to investigate immigration agents

Push for Cook County State's Attorney to investigate ICE

Some local democratic leaders are ramping up pressure on Cook County State's Attorney Eileen O'Neill Burke, calling on her to investigate and prosecute federal immigration agents.

CHICAGO - Some local democratic leaders are ramping up pressure on Cook County State's Attorney Eileen O'Neill Burke, calling on her to investigate and prosecute federal immigration agents.

What we know:

The lawmakers include members of Chicago's City Council, the Cook County Board of Commissioners and Illinois State Representatives. They want O'Neill Burke to open possible murder or attempted murder investigations into the killing of Silverio Villegas Gonzalez and the shooting of Marimar Martinez. 

Villegas Gonzalez was shot and killed during a botched attempted arrest in September. Martinez was shot multiple times after following immigration agents during a raid in Brighton Park in October.

"The people of Illinois, especially immigrant and working-class families in our county and state, have the right to live free from fear of being violently taken from their homes, cars, or streets. If an individual kills or maims an individual, they must be held accountable under Illinois law," officials said in a joint statement.

This comes days after Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson issued an executive order that he says would set the stage for prosecutors to bring charges against federal agents who break the law.

The mayor had initially said O'Neill Burke was on board with the plan. But O'Neill Burke tweeted soon after that she had not been consulted and was still reviewing it. 

Mayor Johnson's office says a high-level staffer in O'Neill Burke's office had signed off five days before the announcement of the executive order. On Tuesday, Johnson says he believes the two offices are on the same page.

"I am doing everything in my power to provide any level of support that can lead towards justice and protecting the people of Chicago," Johnson said. "I don't see it as a disconnect."