Chicago Immigration

Officials say many federal officers involved in immigration enforcement in Chicago have body cameras, but expanding their use requires more funding from Congress. The issue was discussed at a hearing Monday about the tactics used in the Trump administration's crackdown in Chicago, which has led to over 1,000 arrests. U.S. District Judge Sara Ellis has ordered agents to wear cameras during arrests and searches. Officials testified about the operation and complaints of aggressive tactics. The hearing is part of a lawsuit by news organizations and community groups. The government denies any wrongdoing, saying officers have faced attacks while enforcing federal law.

A federal judge has signaled that hundreds of people arrested and detained in the Chicago area immigration crackdown could soon be released on bond while they await immigration hearings. During a hearing Wednesday in Chicago, U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Cummings said he would order the full release of 13 detained individuals based on a 2022 consent decree outlining how U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement can make so-called warrantless arrests. He also gave government attorneys a Friday deadline to comb through a list of 615 people detained at jails and federal facilities nationwide to see if they qualify for alternatives to detention under the decree, such as using an ankle monitor, while their immigration cases proceed.