District Council Members Want Oversight Hearing On Chicago Police Interactions With Feds

Chicago police district council members are advocating for a public hearing to examine local police interactions with federal immigration agents amid ongoing enforcement operations. Nearly three dozen members signed a letter urging the Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability to investigate potential coordination and data-sharing between local law enforcement and federal agencies during immigration raids. The councilors aim to determine if there have been violations of the city's Welcoming City Ordinance, which prohibits police from assisting in federal immigration enforcement. Tensions surrounding Chicago's sanctuary city status have escalated since a surge of migrants began arriving in 2022 and following operations like Midway Blitz and At Large. Councilor Leonardo Quintero highlighted that the hearing would support their mission to improve public safety and foster better relations between police and the community.

The commission is currently assessing the request for the hearing and will decide on next steps. Police have maintained their role was limited to traffic and crowd control during immigration enforcement activities. Tensions between local communities and federal agents continue to rise, underscoring the need for transparency in police operations.