State investigating landlords of South Shore apartment after raid
The state is investigating the landlords of a South Shore apartment building, months after it was raided by federal immigration agents.
The Department of Homeland Security claims this was an immigration raid, but tenants say agents detained them, even after they identified themselves as U.S. citizens.
State officials now say property management worked with federal agents, alleging the building was housing unauthorized Venezuelan immigrants, to intimidate and push out Black and Hispanic tenants.
The Illinois Department of Human Rights filed a housing discrimination charge against the owners and managers of the apartment building.
The investigation centers on what led up to the middle of the night on September 30 at 75th Street and South Shore Drive, one of the most aggressive immigration raids Chicago has seen in years.
During the raid, armed ICE and CBP agents rappelled from black hawk military helicopters and entered nearly all130 units in the five-story building. Residents said they were awakened by flash bangs, smoke grenades, and heavily armed agents who zip-tied women and children and held them in vans for hours.
Agents detained 37 people in the raid. It is unclear if any residents were charged or deported.
CBS News crews went inside the building where the units were left in disarray.
Governor JB Pritzker released the following statement on Wednesday night:
"State law prohibits discrimination, and that includes aiding or abetting conduct intended to interfere with housing and civil rights. Illinois will not tolerate conduct that puts anyone in Illinois at risk of discrimination or harm."
The investigation will now look into whether Illinois civil rights laws were violated. The allegations include landlords aiding and abetting interference, coercion, and intimidation based on race, ancestry, and national origin.
CBS News Chicago has reached out to DHS and the city for a comment.