Several members of the Illinois congressional delegation are calling for the Department of Homeland Security’s inspector general to formally investigate federal agents for multiple allegations of excessive use of force during last year’s Operation Midway Blitz, including “accountability” for the agent who shot Chicagoan Marimar Martinez last fall.
The eight Chicago-area Democrats wrote in a letter to Joseph V. Cuffari, the DHS inspector general, that a comprehensive investigation into a severe pattern of excessive force is needed — and pointed to several findings from the Illinois Accountability Commission. The letter names 21 federal agents they say engaged in incidents of excessive force.
The letter references Border Patrol Agent Charles Exum crashing into Martinez’s vehicle and shooting her five times, with Border Patrol agents Adam Perkins and Lorenzo Cordero also allegedly involved in the incident. Other examples include claims Border Patrol agents Benito Nuñez, Carlos Chavira, and Jesus Guillen conducted “unauthorized high-speed pursuits” and causing crashes in residential neighborhoods after being directly ordered to stop.
And it includes reports of Border Patrol agents Enrique Camacho, Angel Nieves, and Ricardo Moreno deploying tear gas on a road near an elementary school while children played nearby. Agents Matthew Sulek, Michael Turner, Oscar Meza, Andrew Torabpour, Joseph Brennan, Martin Davalos, Alexander Mills, Andy Chavez, Tee Rico, and Javier Puente and Timothy Donahue are also named.
The delegation is asking for internal administrative reviews or probes of incidents of excessive force involving the 21 agents. The letter also asks for steps taken by DHS to respond to reports of “escalatory or abusive behavior,” consequences imposed on DHS officers “who authorized inaccurate public statements,” and the status of use-of-force incidents DHS has opened for review.
After spending six months gathering testimony, video footage and legal records, the Illinois Accountability Commission put out its final report in April, examining Operation Midway Blitz and the alleged abuse carried out by federal agents in and around the city. Gov. JB Pritzker assembled the commission in October to investigate federal agents’ conduct during Operation Midway Blitz. The report included a letter referring charges to Cook County State’s Attorney Eileen O’Neill Burke, the Chicago Police Department, the Kane County state’s attorney, and the Elgin, Franklin Park and Evanston police departments.
“There is little evidence of DHS action to investigate these incidents and hold personnel accountable,” the letter reads. “…We formally request you conduct investigations into these incidents and publicly determine DHS compliance with DHS policy and federal law.”
The letter was signed by Sen. Dick Durbin and U.S. Reps. Delia Ramirez, Danny Davis, Mike Quigley, Robin Kelly, Jesus “Chuy” Garcia, Raja Krishnamoorthi and Jonathan Jackson — and it comes a year after federal immigration agents targeted Chicago and the surrounding suburbs during Operation Midway Blitz.
“When the Illinois Accountability Commission released its findings, a DHS spokesperson attempted to dismiss the report by arguing that states lack the authority to investigate on-duty federal agents,” the letter says. “While we disagree with this claim, the Office of Inspector General unquestionably possesses the public duty to investigate federal officers for misconduct, unconstitutional uses of force, and potential criminal violations.”
Federal agents targeted the Chicago area during Operation Midway Blitz between mid-September through mid-October. On Sept. 12, Silverio Villegas González, a father and cook originally from Mexico, was fatally shot at “close range” as he allegedly tried to flee the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents who tried to stop his car. Operation Midway Blitz slowed in mid-November.
Illinois State Police opened an investigation into Villegas González’s shooting in May, nearly eight months after he was killed by a federal immigration agent.
DHS in May said the shooting was “still under investigation” and insisted the agent “feared for his life” while being dragged. Tuesday’s letter made no reference to Villegas González.
Martinez’s shooting is being investigated by the Chicago Police Department’s Investigative Response Team, who are looking to bring a case to Cook County prosecutors, the Chicago Sun-Times learned last month.