Albany Park community demands answers after ICE detention
Albany Park community demands answers after reported ICE detention
Community members in Albany Park are demanding answers after witnesses reported a federal immigration enforcement operation that ended with a man being detained Tuesday morning.
CHICAGO - Community members in Albany Park are demanding answers after witnesses reported a federal immigration enforcement operation that ended with a man being detained Tuesday morning.
The backstory:
According to Ald. Rossana Rodríguez-Sánchez (33rd), federal agents detained a man near Kedzie and Lawrence avenues around 8 a.m. following what she described as an aggressive pursuit.
Witnesses who recorded the incident told Fox Chicago they saw agents point guns toward residents during the operation. Rodríguez-Sánchez also said witnesses reported agents used a taser during the arrest.
The alderwoman said one of the federal agents allegedly left behind a loaded magazine and later returned to retrieve it.
"They were chasing an individual that was targeted. One of the vehicles crashed into another vehicle. There is video of officers threatening people there and we do have reports of a cartridge that was left behind by one of the officers and he came back to retrieve it," Rodríguez-Sánchez said.
Local advocacy groups and volunteer ICE patrol teams quickly alerted residents about the operation, according to the alderwoman. The alerts came as several school graduations and field day events were taking place in the neighborhood.
Rodríguez-Sánchez said the incident serves as a reminder that immigration enforcement activity remains ongoing in Chicago communities.
DHS responds
The other side:
On Wednesday, a spokesperson with the Department of Homeland Security gave Fox Chicago the following statement about the incident:
"On June 2, ICE conducted a targeted immigration operation to arrest Domer Jesus Martinez-Sifontes, an illegal alien from Venezuela. As officers attempted to put handcuffs on Martinez-Sifontes, he assaulted officers and attempted to evade arrest by fleeing on foot. Once officers caught him, he continued to resist arrest and failed to comply with officers’ lawful commands.
"During the arrest, a large crowd of anti-ICE agitators surrounded our officers and their vehicles. At one point, an agitator spray painted one of the officers’ vehicles. When officers approached the agitator, they fled the scene at a high rate of speed and struck a street light pole. For their safety, ICE officers quickly left the scene.
"Martinez-Sifontes illegally entered the United States in 2023 and was RELEASED into our country under the Biden administration. He will remain in ICE custody pending removal from the U.S.
"We encourage all illegal aliens to take control of their departure with the CBP Home App. The United States is offering illegal aliens $2,600 and a free flight to self-deport now. We encourage every person here illegally to take advantage of this offer and reserve the chance to come back to the U.S. the right legal way to live the American dream. If not, you will be arrested and deported without a chance to return."
What's next:
The mayor’s office said it is aware of the situation and is closely monitoring developments.
The alderwoman said her office is working to identify and contact the detained man’s family.
The Source: The information in this article was reported by FOX Chicago's Leslie Moreno.