Immigration Officer Faces Accusations of False Reports in Chicago
A high-ranking immigration enforcement official has come under scrutiny for making false claims about an incident involving gunfire in Chicago. The official reported that agents were fired upon while performing immigration duties. This news came shortly after he was rebuked by a judge for falsely claiming that he was hit by a rock during a confrontation with local residents.
The immigration official in question, a regular guest on a popular news channel and the face of recent large-scale deportation initiatives, stated on his social media that his team was subjected to gunshots, vehicular and physical assaults, and disruptive crowds for several hours.
Contradicting Statements
In their official statement, the immigration department reported that agents were executing immigration enforcement tasks near 26th Street and Kedzie Avenue in Chicago when an unidentified man in a black Jeep fired shots at them before fleeing the scene.
According to the immigration department, the local police department was alerted and came to secure the location. The alleged shooter and the vehicle are still on the run, and the situation continues to evolve.
While the local police confirmed their response to the reported shooting, they found no evidence of anyone being hit by gunfire at the claimed location. Their statement clarified that there were no reports of anyone being injured by gunfire.
As reported by the police, one officer was hit by a vehicle during the operation, but he is in good condition, and the driver has received a ticket.
Lack of Evidence
Despite the claims, no video proof of the supposed shooting has emerged. However, social media posts and photographs do show armed agents, including the official in question, engaging with local residents, using tear gas, and making arrests in the Little Village neighborhood of the city.
Local residents followed an immigration patrol convoy for about two hours, recording its movements through residential areas. Local leaders report that at least six individuals were detained, including US citizens who were protesting the operation.
Prior False Claims
Last week, a judge in the city rebuked the immigration official for lying about an incident in late October. He was recorded on video throwing a gas canister at residents in the same neighborhood without warning, which was a breach of her previous temporary restraining order limiting the use of force.
The official and the immigration department had previously claimed that he was hit in the head by a rock before he threw the tear gas. However, video evidence and his own admission later disproved this.
A spokesperson for the immigration department also falsely claimed last month that the official had been hit in the head with a rock.
Previous Controversies
In a recent court case, a protester in Los Angeles was acquitted of charges of assaulting an immigration agent. In the same case, federal officers were accused of lying about the incident.
The official in question was one of four agents who testified, but was the only one to claim that he saw the alleged assault on the agent.
The same official has faced criticism before for making misleading statements. He justified a major immigration operation in January by stating that agents had a “predetermined list of targets”, many with criminal records. However, documents revealed that 77 out of 78 people arrested during the operation had no previous record with the agency.
Furthermore, he falsely claimed on social media that a US citizen, arrested in a high-profile case, had been charged with assaulting an officer.
Recent Tensions and Protests
In recent months, there has been a rise in confrontations and obstructions targeting federal law enforcement, according to a statement by the immigration department. Raids in Chicago and surrounding suburbs, including one at a daycare center, have sparked protests and led to violent arrests.
Over a dozen suburban Chicago mothers were detained last week outside an immigration detention facility in Broadview, a suburb west of Chicago. This incident occured amidst widespread anger against a recent immigration crackdown that started in September with the aim of arresting dangerous criminals without legal US residency. The crackdown has resulted in more than 3,000 arrests, including US citizens and individuals with no criminal history.
