Chicago man sues federal government over immigration raid at his home during Midway Blitz

A Chicago homeowner is suing the U.S. government and several Customs and Border Protection agents for a raid on his Lakeview neighborhood property last fall during "Operation Midway Blitz," claiming the raid was unconstitutional.

Leo Feler was away at the time and saw the entire thing unfold on his security cameras as agents swarmed his property and took a construction worker into custody.

The 3300 block of North Lakewood Avenue is a one-way street. On Oct. 24, agents drove opposite traffic and stopped at Feler's home, where a construction crew was eating lunch on his front porch.

The agents jumped over the wrought iron front gate, and quickly the neighborhood noticed.

A worker holding his lunch spotted the masked agents as they pull up. He ran up the stairs as his colleagues scattered.

One found their way into the garage, an agent on his heels.

Outside, a tenant repeatedly told agents they didn't have a warrant.

"You do not have a warrant to be on our property," she said.

CBP agents spread out around the Lakeview property, and two of the construction workers managed to get inside.

Neighbors quickly caught on, as one of the workers appeared to be taken into custody, and agents threatened to use tear gas on the crowd before they threw it.

Feler was away on business and saw what was happening on his Ring home security cameras.

"I opened up the app. I saw these masked, heavily armed men jumping over the gates and running through my property," he said.

Feler said he used the app to tell the agents to get off his property.

"One of the agents looked up at the camera, so I could tell that he heard me," he said.

Feler filed a federal tort claim last year, and, after waiting the legally required six months for a response, he filed a lawsuit in federal court.

"I'm bringing this case out of respect, admiration, and duty to my country, to our constitution, to my neighbors who were teargassed as they were trying to defend my home."

He said he feels obligated to ask the government and the CBP agents involved in the raid for damages and a declaration that the raid was unconstitutional and violated his Fourth Amendment rights protecting him from unreasonable searches.

"We love our country, and this is important to me to actually represent my country," he said.

Feler said he tried to file a police report twice, and both times he was told police could not investigate further. Chicago police said the case was suspended.

Meantime, the worker who was detained at Feler's home has been released.

The Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to CBS News Chicago when asked if the agents involved had a warrant that day.