Chicago Police Ordered to Stand Down During Armed Attack on ICE Agents in South Side

Chicago police officers were ordered by the Chief of Patrol to stand down and not assist federal agents, including ICE and Border Patrol, who were under attack and surrounded by a violent crowd in the Brighton Park neighborhood. During the incident, federal agents were boxed in by ten vehicles, one of which contained an armed occupant, Marimar Martinez, who opened fire on agents, prompting defensive shots from law enforcement. Martinez, who has a history of doxxing federal agents, was injured, hospitalized, and taken into FBI custody, while another suspect was arrested for ramming a federal vehicle. The Chicago Police Department retreated several blocks from the scene despite calls for backup from federal agents. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Chicago condemned the police stand-down order, vowing to prosecute anyone, including public officials, who obstruct or endanger federal officers, while Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker criticized the federal response and sanctuary policies. The incident has sparked national outrage and intensified scrutiny of Chicago’s law enforcement and political leadership.