Ald. Jessie Fuentes: Why was Chicago alderman handcuffed during immigration raids?

Chicago is facing a wave of controversy after a series of immigration enforcement operations escalated into tense confrontations, including the brief handcuffing of a city alderperson inside Humboldt Park Health on Friday. The incident, caught on video, has ignited debate about federal overreach, civil rights, and the treatment of immigrant families in the city.

Ald. Jessie Fuentes (26th), who represents a large Puerto Rican community in Humboldt Park, said she visited the medical center after reports that immigration officers had brought in an injured man. When she questioned the agents about whether they had a judicial warrant to detain the individual inside the hospital, Fuentes said the officers refused to answer, shoved her, and eventually handcuffed her while threatening arrest.

“This is violence,” Fuentes later said at a press conference. “If federal agents are willing to handcuff an elected official for asking basic constitutional questions, imagine what they are doing to ordinary residents in our neighborhoods.”

Video shows Fuentes repeatedly asking the agents if they had proper authorization before one officer spins her around and secures her wrists in handcuffs. Witnesses said she was led outside and told she would be arrested if she attempted to re-enter the building. She was released shortly afterward.

Mayor Brandon Johnson condemned the action in strong terms, saying, “Chicago’s elected officials have a First Amendment right to document ICE’s actions and to inform their constituents of their rights without federal interference. Any attempt to block this work is a direct attack on democratic accountability and an assault on the rights of the people of Chicago.”

The confrontation was only one of several alarming developments in a city that has seen an intensified presence of federal immigration authorities over the past week. Across Humboldt Park, Logan Square, and Little Village, residents reported agents detaining people, deploying tear gas, and storming homes in predawn raids.

In one incident outside Rico Fresh, a grocery store on Armitage and Central Park Avenue, residents say federal officers in an SUV released smoke canisters into the street. Bill Higgins and Jessica Dixon, who were walking home with their 2-year-old child, described choking on the fumes. “It hit me even before I realized it,” Dixon said, recalling burning eyes and lungs. Video captured at the scene shows bystanders frantically asking for water to wash the chemicals from their faces.

Elsewhere in Little Village, video circulated of a father and son being arrested. Relatives identified them as Jesus Hernandez, a longtime Chicago resident from Mexico, and his 21-year-old son Brian, who was born in the United States. Family members said the arrests left three younger children without their father and called the action unnecessarily cruel.

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker has now called for a state-level investigation into the conduct of federal agents, particularly in cases where children were allegedly zip-tied, separated from parents, and held for hours during raids. “The state has a responsibility to protect families from abuse,” Pritzker said, promising resources and legal assistance for affected communities.

Community organizers and several local officials joined Fuentes outside Humboldt Park Health to denounce what they described as “militarized immigration enforcement.” Ald. Anthony Quezada (35th) urged residents to demand accountability from their leaders. “Every single one of you needs to call your alderman today and ask them: What are you doing to stand up to ICE? What are you doing to hold this government accountable?”

The Department of Homeland Security has said the operations are part of “Operation Midway Blitz,” which has led to more than 1,000 arrests statewide. Officials claim the effort targets individuals with outstanding immigration orders, but community members argue the sweeps are broad and indiscriminate, ensnaring U.S. citizens and asylum seekers alike.

For many, the images of an alderperson handcuffed in a hospital and families caught in tear gas clouds symbolize a new level of tension between Chicago and federal immigration authorities. As activists rally and legal teams prepare challenges, questions remain about how far the enforcement push will go—and how the city will respond.

FAQ

Q1: Why was a Chicago alderman handcuffed during the immigration raids?
Ald. Jessie Fuentes was restrained after questioning federal agents at Humboldt Park Health about whether they had a judicial warrant to detain a patient.

Q2: Which communities in Chicago were most affected by the immigration enforcement operations?
Raids were reported in Humboldt Park, Logan Square, and Little Village, with families describing predawn home entries, arrests, and the use of tear gas.

Q3: What has been the reaction from Chicago officials?
Mayor Brandon Johnson condemned the agents’ actions as an attack on civil rights, while Gov. JB Pritzker called for a state investigation.

Q4: How are community members responding?
Residents and activists have organized protests and legal support for families, urging elected officials to resist what they call “militarized immigration enforcement.”

Q5: What is Operation Midway Blitz?
It is a federal immigration initiative that officials say has led to more than 1,000 arrests statewide, though critics argue it targets families indiscriminately.