FBI reports "targeted immigration enforcement operation" in South Shore, Chicago
Federal agents reported in the South Shore neighborhood were part of a "U.S. Border Patrol targeted immigration enforcement operation" overnight, the FBI confirmed.
Agents were seen holding long guns outside a residential building overnight near 75th Street and South Shore Drive. Most federal agents were wearing camouflage with vests that read U.S. Border Patrol, Police, or FBI. Several agents were seen on an armored green truck, going in and out of U-Haul and Budget rental trucks.
Women and children appear to be some of the people led away by federal agents and taken into vans staged in a parking lot near a school. Officials have not confirmed how many people were taken into custody.
CBS News Chicago spoke to a man who says his boyfriend, who is a U.S. citizen, was escorted off the premises by federal agents.
"Ziptied, they put him in a bus, they had immigrants and the Black people in one bus. They still, they said they were checking people for warrants," Marlee Sanders said.
Sanders took CBS News crews inside the building, where he said federal agents busted holes through walls and doors to access the people living inside. Those doors are now boarded up following the operation.
Law enforcement sources said that what happened is protocol to briefly detain everyone in a large building to keep everyone safe during a mission.
Residents who live inside the building said they were shocked by how they were treated.
Pertissue Fisher said she was detained by federal agents and asked if she was a U.S. citizen.
"They asked me was I was a U.S. citizen, I said yeah. I was born here."
She was held for hours in a van with other neighbors while agents confirmed her identity, citizenship, and confirmed she had no active warrants.
Fisher described the scene as she said children were also led out of the building.
"No shoes, the kids didn't had no shoes, no pants on. They just treated us like we were nothing."
"He said he had warrants for five people, so I said, 'So why you detaining the whole building?' He said it's for the safety of our people."
Ebony Watson watched and filmed what was a massive show of force, and rental trucks were used in the mission alongside ICE, FBI, and other federal agencies.
CBS News Chicago tried to contact the property manager of the building, but no one would meet or give us any information about what happened.
"It's crazy, it felt like we were under siege last night," Darrell Ballard said.
The neighborhood is still trying to get questions answered about what happened.
"They brought a baby out completely naked and wouldn't allow the mother the chance to clothe her child, it's, it's distressing," Ballard said.
The FBI spokesperson did not provide further details. CBS News Chicago reached out to ICE, Homeland Security, and Border Patrol for information about the operation, including how many were detained and why, but has yet to hear back.
Trump seeking to deploy troops to protect ICE in Illinois
This comes a day after Gov. JB Pritzker said his administration learned the Trump administration is seeking to deploy 100 troops in Illinois, following the deployment of armed federal agents in downtown Chicago over the weekend, and multiple clashes between protesters and ICE agents in west suburban Broadview in recent weeks.
Pritzker said the Illinois National Guard has learned the Department of Homeland Security sent a memo to the Pentagon, requesting the deployment of 100 military troops in Illinois to protect ICE personnel and facilities. The governor's office said it's unclear if those troops would be Illinois National Guard, National Guard members from other states, or active-duty military troops.
Pritzker and Mayor Brandon Johnson both have repeatedly said that the Trump administration's immigration crackdown in the Chicago area, and his repeated threats to send in troops have nothing to do with public safety.