Illinois Accountability Commission Releases Operation Midway Blitz Report, Recommends Prosecuting some Feds
The 204-page report says federal agents used force without justification and will be sent to local prosecutors for possible review.
- On Thursday, the Illinois Accountability Commission released its final report on Operation Midway Blitz, urging local prosecutors to investigate alleged criminal conduct by federal immigration agents during the 2025 crackdown.
- The 64-day operation resulted in 4,500 arrests and created an 'environment of occupation' throughout Chicagoland, with agents accused of using excessive force, including tear gas and chemical weapons at least 49 times.
- Investigators identified 16 flashpoint incidents, including the fatal shooting of Silverio Villegas González and the wounding of Marimar Martinez, with findings showing reasonable cause agents acted without justification and tampered with evidence.
- The commission referred findings to Cook County State's Attorney Eileen O'Neill Burke, who stated her office requires completed law enforcement investigations before pursuing charges, calling special prosecutor petitions 'baseless.'
- Commission Chair Ruben Castillo urged prosecutors to 'step aside' if unwilling to investigate, while DHS officials dismissed the report as a 'political stunt' by 'Illinois sanctuary politicians' lacking legal authority.
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Capitol Fa - Your Illinois News Radar » Roundup: Accountability Commission refers federal agents for investigation, releases final reportCapitolFax.com
* Capitol News Illinois … A state board unanimously voted Thursday to approve a 204-page report detailing its investigations into misconduct by on-duty federal immigration agents amid Operation Midway Blitz. It is also sending letters to local law enforcement agencies for potential prosecution of the agents. The letters are not determinations of guilt, but requests for further [...]
Gov. Pritzker urges criminal investigations of federal immigration agents after Illinois panel releases report
Gov. JB Pritzker last fall tasked the Illinois Accountability Commission with fact-finding about Operation Midway Blitz raids, but the panel has no direct law enforcement power.
Illinois Accountability Commission releases Operation Midway Blitz report, recommends prosecuting some feds
An Illinois commission investigating Chicago immigration crackdown Operation Midway Blitz recommended prosecuting some federal agents for alleged misconduct. Whether that's actually possible isn't clear.
Accountability Commission refers federal agents for investigation, possible prosecution for conduct last fall – Capitol News IL
“Documenting this was easy,” Commission Chair Rubén Castillo said. “The record is overwhelming; the video tapes are overwhelming. They’re devastating. They’re shameful. They’re brutal.” Body camera footage released by the commission shows the agents proceeded to use teargas on a street of onlookers in the Far Southeast Side neighborhood, including more than a dozen Chicago police officers who had explicitly asked agents not to deploy the gas.
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