On June 4th, a horrible and unconstitutional ICE Raid incident took place at 2245 S. Michigan Avenue. Immigrants who had been lured under false pretence for what they believed were routine check-ins with the Department of Homeland Security were instead detained without warning, denied legal counsel, separated from their families, and taken into custody by unidentified armed men in masks operating as President Donald Trump's shadow police. Among those who were kidnapped were a youth minister and mother of three and a single mother deported without a plan for the care or reunification of her six-year-old daughter. When community members, members of the Progressive Caucus, and other elected officials peacefully protested these actions, they were met by force in the form of armed ICE agents wielding batons and rifles.

These attacks are more than just unlawful. They are shameful, cowardly, and wrong. But unless and until Congress is willing to act, one thing is clear: they are not going to stop. The Trump administration is committed to conducting the largest mass deportation in history, regardless of the human cost. We as a city must be equally committed to doing everything within our power to protect our people.

Chicago is a Sanctuary City and as such, there are clear laws outlining what the Chicago Police Department's role is and isn't as it pertains to incidents like this. Yet, eyewitnesses report that on June 4th, CPD officers were blocking off streets, securing the perimeter, and accompanying ICE agents in and out of the building. These actions raise urgent questions about whether CPD violated the Welcoming City Ordinance.

To that end, Alder Andre Vasquez, Co-Chair of the Progressive Caucus and Chair of the Committee on Immigrant and Refugee Rights, introduced an order (Or2025-0017810) seeking transparency about CPD's involvement. The Committee held a hearing on July 1st to examine this incident. What we learned is deeply troubling: no independent investigation has been launched, by either COPA or the Office of the Inspector General, to determine what happened and whether city policy was violated.

It may be the case that the Chicago Police Department operated with the best of intentions. Officers may have believed they were acting lawfully and responsibly. In the absence of independent investigations, however, there is a lack of accountability necessary to instill public confidence in the city's actions that day. Even the perception of complicity in unjust federal actions undermines the trust that is essential between law enforcement and the communities they serve. Furthermore, we are appalled that had the Committee had not called this hearing, the public would still be unaware that no investigation had been initiated. That is unacceptable. 

We are therefore demanding the following actions:

1. The Civilian Office of Police Accountability (COPA) must immediately initiate an independent investigation into CPD's actions on June 4th.

2. The Office of the Inspector General must immediately initiate an independent investigation into OEMC's actions on June 4th and launch a systemic review of how/why this incident occurred without internal accountability.

3. The Mayor's Office and CPD must release all internal communications and documentation related to CPD's presence and conduct at 2245 S. Michigan Avenue on that day.

4. The full City Council must pass the pending order to compel transparency and ensure compliance with the Welcoming City Ordinance and clarify the jurisdiction of COPA and the
   OIG in these matters through legislative action.

We are not calling for accountability to punish. We are calling for it to protect. Chicago's sanctuary policies mean nothing if they are not enforced. Immigrant communities must know that our laws are more than words and that the force of government is there to provide protection and support in the face of fascism.

The Progressive Caucus will not stand by as inaction and ambiguity erode public trust. We remain steadfast in our commitment to protecting the rights of all Chicagoans, regardless of immigration status.

Let this moment serve as a wake-up call: We need transparency. We need accountability. And we need it now.

In Solidarity and Community,

The Members of the Chicago Progressive Caucus