ICE agents in Chicago are under fire after a legal resident said he was detained and fined for not carrying his immigration papers. Rueben Antonio Cruz, 60, told the Chicago Tribune he was sitting with a friend in Rogers Park on October 9 when ICE agents suddenly pulled up and headed straight toward them.
“They asked us if we have papers,” Cruz recalled. “I said I do, but I don’t have them on me.” Originally from El Salvador, Cruz has lived in the U.S. legally for years. Still, that didn’t stop agents from allegedly detaining him, demanding answers, and handing him a fine for not having his documents on hand.
The encounter has ignited outrage among immigrant-rights groups and city officials who say it’s yet another example of ICE’s heavy-handed tactics in immigrant communities. Witnesses said the agents appeared aggressive and intent on intimidation. Cruz said they were driven around in an ICE truck while being peppered with questions about where they were born and what their parents’ names were. “It was humiliating,” he said. “They treated us like criminals even though I did nothing wrong.”
Cruz said the agents eventually released them but issued a $130 fine for failing to carry documentation. Advocates point out that while non-citizens are required by federal law to carry proof of immigration status, U.S. citizens and permanent residents are not subject to random ICE stops without probable cause. “This is harassment, pure and simple,” said one local attorney who represents immigrant families in Chicago. “These agents are acting outside the law, and they’re targeting people who have every right to be here.”
The disturbing encounter comes just days after a separate incident involving an ICE agent who reportedly yelled “Do something, b****!” before shooting a woman five times during a botched arrest in the same region. That case has fueled renewed scrutiny of ICE’s conduct, with lawmakers demanding accountability and an investigation into the agency’s culture of aggression.
Critics say the agency’s recent actions reflect a broader shift toward fear-based enforcement. “When you have agents driving through neighborhoods questioning people who are just sitting outside, you’re not keeping the country safer,” said an activist with Chicago’s immigrant rights coalition. “You’re sending a message that no one is safe from harassment.”
ICE officials have not commented on Cruz’s case, nor have they clarified whether issuing fines to legal residents for lacking papers aligns with agency policy. The agency has faced repeated allegations of racial profiling and unlawful detentions in the past, including targeting individuals based on appearance or language.
For Cruz, the experience has left lasting unease. “I’ve lived here for decades,” he said. “I work, I pay taxes, I follow the law. And still, they treat me like I don’t belong.”
City leaders have vowed to look into the incident and ensure ICE is held accountable. But for Chicago’s immigrant communities, the damage is already done. The message, many say, is clear, even being legal isn’t enough to escape ICE’s reach.
