Chicago, IL – A coalition of Illinois congressional members is demanding federal investigations into a series of violent immigration enforcement raids across the state, including one in Chicago’s South Shore neighborhood earlier this month that lawmakers say left residents injured and unlawfully detained.
In a joint letter dated October 10, 2025, Representatives Robin Kelly and Jesús “Chuy” García led the call for accountability, joined by ten Illinois members of Congress. The letter, addressed to Inspectors General at both the Department of Justice (DOJ) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS), cites multiple incidents of alleged excessive force, lack of transparency, and unlawful detentions of U.S. citizens.
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According to the letter, the October 1 South Shore raid involved federal agents using flashbang grenades, drones, and helicopters to enter an apartment complex. Lawmakers allege that ICE and Border Patrol officers detained residents—including U.S. citizens—without proper judicial warrants. The document also references two fatal shootings involving federal agents in Illinois and calls for reviews of DHS directives on body-worn camera use and interagency coordination.
“We are deeply concerned about the lack of oversight and transparency,” the members wrote. “Illinois residents deserve answers about the use of force in our neighborhoods.”
The group requested a briefing or update from federal oversight offices by October 24, 2025, emphasizing that accountability for federal actions is “nonnegotiable.”
