24 Jun 2025

ICE Denies Congressional Representatives Oversight Access to Chicago Facility

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Immigration and Customs Enforcement denied oversight access to two Congressional Representatives, and called in Chicago police to escort them away.

Congressional Representatives Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) and Jonathan Jackson (D-IL) tried to inspect 2245 S. Michigan Avenue in Chicago. Krishnamoorthi is a member of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. On 4 June 2025, immigrants were told via text message to go there for routine immigration appointments and were detained by ICE there.

Krishnamoorthi said, “We made it through the double doors into the facility. We talked to an ICE officer, who refused to identify himself. He was wearing a mask to obscure his identity. We asked for his name. We asked for his badge. He refused. He then called Chicago police to evict us from the property as trespassers. This is [federal] property. We should be able to conduct oversight here, and we’re going to insist following this visit on doing just that.”

Jackson described Chicago police who came to escort them away as “gracious and kind.” He added, “What you’re beginning to see is the officers are conflicted. He was calling the police on two members of Congress and said that we were trespassing. This is a federal contractor in the 1st District, and there’s been some really slimy and scammy things that have happened with text messages and people being picked up. We came here simply to ask.”

In Krishnamoorthi’s district, the ruse of using a purported routine check-in appointment to take away an immigrant nabbed a man who had lived 12 years in Elgin and had no criminal record. In Jackson’s district, two constituents asked for help to find missing family members.

Krishnamoorthi said, “We have every authority to be able to insist on inspecting premises. So we’re going to write a letter now, to probably Kristi Noem, and basically demand that we be allowed to see what’s happening and to learn what’s actually taking place here in Congressman Jackson’s district.” Krishnamoorthi mentioned sending a subpoena to Noem if needed.

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