Leaders call for investigation after ICE shooting
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Investigators collect evidence after a man crashed his vehicle after being fatally shot during a confrontation with ICE officers in Franklin Park. Photo: Scott Olson/Getty Images
Illinois elected officials and immigrant rights advocates are calling for a transparent investigation of a fatal shooting by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer.
The big picture: Immigrants are on edge with the increased presence of ICE in the Chicago area, especially after President Trump's recent Operation Midway Blitz promised to bring even more raids.
- That tension came to a deadly head after an ICE officer shot and killed a man, who the agency said was resisting arrest, on Friday in west suburban Franklin Park.
Catch up quick: ICE officers were conducting a traffic stop of a man, who family members and officials have identified as Silverio Villegas-González, when Villegas-González attempted to flee and dragged one of the ICE officers, Franklin Park police said.
- An ICE officer shot and killed Villegas-González, ICE reported.
- An ICE officer sustained "severe back injuries, lacerations to the hand, and substantial tears on his knee," an ICE spokesperson told Axios, and has been released from the hospital.
Friction point: ICE alleged Villegas-González had a history of reckless driving.
- The Chicago Sun-Times reported a man with Villegas-González's name has four traffic violation cases in Cook County dating back to 2010. The most recent case in 2019 was for operating an uninsured vehicle, and it was dismissed within a month.
- The Mexican Consulate General of Chicago said Villegas-González was a 38-year-old Mexican national who was working as a cook.
State of play: Chicago's FBI Field Office is in charge of the ongoing investigation into the fatal incident.
- Mayor Brandon Johnson, Gov. JB Pritzker, U.S. Reps. Delia Ramirez (IL-D) and Chuy García (IL-D) and a group of Latino state lawmakers and alders are calling for the release of body camera footage, any arrest warrants for Villegas-González and other relevant information.
- "While the investigation is ongoing, we know that a traffic violation should never amount to a death sentence," Ramirez and other lawmakers said in a statement.
Zoom in: Immigrant rights groups are using Friday's incident to remind immigrants what to do during a confrontation with ICE — tactics that conservatives have criticized as being tips for escaping arrest.
- "If law enforcement approaches you, remember that staying calm can help protect you. Keep your hands visible and avoid sudden movements. You always have the right to remain silent," Erendira Rendón of The Resurrection Project said in a statement after the shooting.
- "If agents come to your door, remember you don't have to let them in unless they show you a valid warrant signed by a judge. If you witness enforcement happening, you can record from somewhere safe without getting involved."
Zoom out: The shooting cast a grim shadow over the traditionally festive weekend leading up to Mexican Independence Day, which falls on Tuesday, but celebrations still occurred.
- The Mexican Consulate shared photos on social media of suburban gatherings featuring mariachi bands and dance performances on stages adorned with the Mexican flag.
- In recent years, caravans flooding into the Loop have caused traffic jams, but the city scheduled checkpoints at intersections with cops posted along State Street and Michigan Avenue, and the area did not experience the chaos seen in the recent past.
What's next: El Grito Chicago is scheduled for Monday in Pilsen.