Federal Judge Orders Release of Over 600 Immigrants
A judge in Chicago has directed the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to free more than 600 undocumented immigrants from a detention center in the suburbs. The judge emphasized “repeated and serious violations” of court-approved agreements limiting detention under U.S. immigration law.
U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Cummings ruled that all detainees at the Broadview ICE facility must be released “on bail or into ICE’s Alternatives to Detention (ATD) program” by November 21. He pointed to what he described as a troubling “pattern of unlawful arrest and confinement.”
This ruling arises from a class action lawsuit named Margarito Castañón Nava v. DHS, which accuses federal agents of unlawfully detaining immigrants who shouldn’t have been held under mandatory detention or removal orders—the suit challenges a practice that predates the Biden administration, let alone the Trump administration.
In his decision, Judge Cummings criticized DHS for keeping immigrants in “unsafe and unsanitary” situations, asserting that detainees were held in overcrowded spaces “next to overflowing toilets.” He remarked that the recent shifts in detention authority marked a drastic change from prior interpretations of the law.
The judge’s decision could lead to the largest single-day release of ICE detainees in Illinois in several years, as activists might push for the release of hundreds detained during President Trump’s Operation Midway Blitz, aimed at vulnerable communities in the Chicago area.
Michelle Garcia, assistant legal director for the ACLU of Illinois, expressed her satisfaction, stating, “Today was a good day because the court ordered the immediate release of 13 people who were wrongfully arrested.” She noted that over 600 others might soon follow suit, representing a move toward accountability for years of unlawful detentions.
However, DHS officials responded critically to the ruling, suggesting it undermines national security and law enforcement effectiveness. Tricia McLaughlin, DHS Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs, remarked that “an activist judge has ordered the release of 615 illegal aliens into the community, directly endangering the lives of American citizens.”
Judge Cummings has asked DHS to identify detainees who are considered a “high public safety risk” and allowed them to remain in custody, with a compliance report due by November 24.
