Chicago Judge Orders Release of 615 Detained Immigrants

A federal judge in Chicago ordered the release of up to 615 immigrants detained during a recent U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement operation, ruling that their arrests violated a longstanding agreement limiting warrantless detentions. The decision, issued Wednesday by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Cummings, requires the Department of Justice to identify those still in custody by November 19 and allows for their release on a $1,500 bond or alternatives such as electronic monitoring, pending immigration proceedings.

The order stems from a 2022 consent decree, known as the Castanon-Nava agreement, which restricts ICE from conducting warrantless arrests without probable cause and documentation in Illinois and five neighboring states: Indiana, Kansas, Missouri, Kentucky, and Wisconsin. Cummings determined that many of the 615 individuals, arrested between June 11 and early November as part of Operation Midway Blitz, were held unlawfully because agents failed to follow these procedures. The operation, launched by federal authorities, targeted immigrants in the Chicago area and suburbs, resulting in more than 3,300 arrests overall. Of the initial 1,800 detained in the region, only...