Chicago Alders Seek Probe of CPD Role in South Loop ICE Operation

Chicago City Council members are pushing for a thorough investigation into the Chicago Police Department's (CPD) conduct during a June 4 ICE immigration enforcement operation in the South Loop, amid concerns the police may have violated the city's sanctuary city policies. CPD officials testified that officers responded to 911 calls from an ICE worker and other sources, claiming they were unaware of the immigration raid and did not assist in enforcement but provided crowd control and public safety traffic management during protests. Aldermen, led by Immigrant and Refugee Rights Committee Chair Andre Vasquez and Alder Jessie Fuentes, expressed dissatisfaction with the internal handling of the matter and are seeking greater transparency, urging that the investigation not fall solely under the police's Bureau of Internal Affairs or the Office of the Inspector General due to concerns over public disclosure limits. The City Council Committee approved a mandate requiring CPD, the Office of Emergency Management and Communications, and the Mayor's Office to provide all communications related to the incident. Inspector General Deborah Witzburg confirmed her office will investigate if other agencies do not, but acknowledged that its findings might not be fully public. The controversy highlights tensions between federal immigration enforcement efforts and Chicago's Welcoming City Ordinance, which prohibits local law enforcement involvement in ICE activities.