ICE agents in Chicago arrested Luis Manuel Saucedo-Cardenas, a violent illegal immigrant and former gang member, who had been released by Chicago police. This situation is occurring in various protected jurisdictions across the nation.
According to ICE, Saucedo Cardenas, 40, is an undocumented immigrant from Mexico with a long criminal record that includes multiple arrests for assault, auto burglary, drug offenses, and a jail sentence for wire fraud. Authorities state that he is a former member of the La Raza street gang, which mainly operates in Chicago but has also been involved in criminal activities in places like Florida, Georgia, and other western states.
In 2022, ICE removed Saucedo Cárdenas from the U.S. However, a federal criminal arrest warrant was issued for him when he illegally reentered the country, a fact confirmed by Chicago police who were detaining illegal aliens at that time. Despite confirming on May 1 that they were aware of the arrest warrant, officials from the Chicago Police Department did not transfer Saucedo Cárdenas to ICE, despite multiple requests to do so.
ICE has criticized the sanctuary policies put in place by local politicians, which lead to the release of violent repeat offenders in Chicago. Tammy Maric, Acting Director of ICE’s Chicago Field Office, expressed frustration, stating, “The Chicago Police Department intentionally jeopardized public safety by releasing a dangerous suspect with a federal arrest warrant. Politics aside, there’s no justification for sanctuary policies that threaten the communities they aim to protect.”
ICE argues that the best way to apprehend criminal illegal aliens is by working collaboratively with immigration agents. This includes ICE requesting that other law enforcement entities notify them before releasing individuals who are removable, or hold these individuals for 48 hours beyond their normal release time, allowing the Department of Homeland Security to detain them in accordance with federal immigration laws.
Chicago police have a history of not cooperating with ICE when undocumented individuals are arrested for suspected crimes in sanctuary cities. This lack of cooperation can severely impact community safety when offenders are released. For example, as reported by Breitbart News’ John Binder, Jose Medina-Medina, 25, an undocumented immigrant from Venezuela, was arrested after allegedly killing Loyola University freshman Sheridan Gorman in a random attack on March 19.
Records indicate that Medina-Medina entered the U.S. illegally in 2023 and was released after seeking asylum. Just months later, he was again arrested by Chicago police for shoplifting. Due to Chicago and Illinois policies, Medina-Medina was released by local authorities instead of being handed over to ICE for removal proceedings.
