Local police departments around Chicago assisted federal Homeland Security Investigations agents in monitoring anti-ICE activists in Minnesota, according to records reviewed by Wired. The cooperation occurred despite Illinois laws that limit local involvement in federal immigration enforcement. The surveillance targeted people engaged in First Amendment–protected activity.
The partnership involved officers from multiple suburban departments sharing information with HSI. That information included travel patterns and organizing details about activists. Illinois sanctuary statutes generally bar local police from aiding federal immigration operations.
HSI is the investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security. Its agents focused on activists opposing Immigration and Customs Enforcement policies. The agency classified the monitoring as domestic terrorism-related intelligence gathering.
Internal documents show Chicago-area officers passed tips directly to HSI agents. The tips helped agents track Minnesota-based organizers across state lines. This cross-jurisdiction sharing bypassed many local oversight rules.
Illinois passed its sanctuary law in 2017 to protect immigrant communities. The law prohibits local police from detaining people on federal immigration holds. It also restricts sharing personal information with immigration authorities.
Legal experts say the police-HSI collaboration may violate the state’s Trust Act. The act specifically limits local participation in federal civil immigration enforcement. First Amendment advocates warn the surveillance chills political speech.
The activists learned of the monitoring through public records requests. They say the spying created fear among organizers and volunteers. No criminal charges have been filed against any of the activists.
