ICE field director defends agents after ramped-up enforcement, recent arrests of U.S. citizens during protest outside Chicago immigration court

Chicago Tribune

6 hours ago

The head of Chicago's U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement field office Tuesday defended the conduct and decorum of federal agents who have ramped up arrests of undocumented immigrants, which has incited clashes with elected officials, immigration advocates and protesters.
On Monday, three U.S. citizens were detained by ICE after allegedly assaulting an officer in Chicago, according to a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson.
In an interview Tuesday with the Tribune, Samuel Olson, ICE's Chicago field office director, explained that 'the last thing (the agents) want to do is to have to arrest somebody who's assaulting them or impeding them from doing their jobs.'
ICE released all three protesters Monday afternoon. Asked whether the protesters were charged, Olson said the arrests of the protesters are under investigation by the U.S. attorney's office for the Northern District of Illinois.
'It's a hard enough job that they have to worry about who the target is that they're arresting, whether that person might be assaultive or combative,' Olson said.
The arrests of U.S. citizens caught immigration advocates by surprise, as pushback against increased immigration enforcement has only grown across the country. On Tuesday, New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, a mayoral candidate, was arrested for allegedly 'assaulting law enforcement and impeding a federal officer' at immigration court, according to DHS. The arrest was captured on video that quickly went viral on social media.
On Sunday, President Donald Trump sent out a directive to ramp up deportations further in Democrat-run cities. Immigration enforcement has increased at courts and offices in Chicago in recent weeks, with two immigrants from Colombia detained on Father's Day for showing up to their check-in appointments.
At a City Hall news conference Tuesday, Mayor Brandon Johnson delivered an implicit warning against Trump's latest threat to crack down on Chicago demonstrators next.
'I think it's important that the president respects the Constitution. If you're asking me if this president is going to work with city leaders, it's clear that he's not interested in doing that,' Johnson told reporters when asked if he's heard from the federal government.
Olson said the ICE agents were acting in their rights to arrest the protesters Monday because they are law enforcement officers who are sworn to uphold administrative immigration law, and who can also enforce federal criminal law.
He emphasized that agents undergo quarterly training on defensive tactics and firearms operations. Many agents hail from Chicago or the surrounding area, and Olson noted they 'have deep ties to the community.'
'They're trying to ensure public safety of the same communities that they're living in,' he said.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois decried ICE's arrest of U.S. citizens.
'The presence of unidentified, federal officers conducting arrests and detentions — while heavily armed — undermines the public's ability to ensure that law enforcement is acting in a legal and constitutional fashion and runs the risk of further violence,' Ed Yonhka, ACLU's director of communications and public policy, said in a statement.
On Monday around 9 a.m., about a dozen protesters stood outside immigration court at 55 E. Monroe St., according to Bianca Paiz, who was on her way to work. ICE agents entering the building, then started to take the three individuals into custody, Paiz recounted. The immigration agents wore masks and didn't identify themselves, she said.
Paiz said the protesters did not resist arrest, and that the agents handcuffed them before forcing them into an unmarked vehicle.
As someone who has participated in civil disobedience, she called the arrests 'alarming.'
ICE transported the protesters to a different federal building on West Ida B. Wells Drive in the Loop. Two of the individuals were released about three hours later, according to protesters.
The third protester was released from the building around 5 p.m. after worried family members alerted local officials about the detention.In a statement, Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said ICE officers 'are facing a 413% increase in assaults against them.''ICE and our federal law enforcement partners will continue to enforce the law,' she said. 'And if you lay a hand on a law enforcement officer, you will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.'While the last protester was detained, family members waited outside the federal court building in the Loop for hours. Their calls weren't going through, and they weren't sure if ICE had provided legal assistance. They declined to share their names until they had spoken to an attorney.
Later that afternoon, two members of Mayor Johnson's staff arrived to offer support. At one point, the protester's family attempted to speak with the security guards inside the building, but they were told to leave. As the day wore on, they stood on the sidewalk outside, waiting for news.
After the protester came out of the building, they cried and hugged. The protester declined to comment further about the arrest.
ICE's Chicago field office director, Olson, said Tuesday that agents do not intend to arrest U.S. citizens. He declined to speculate on future enforcement actions, such as sending the National Guard to Chicago to assist with immigration enforcement.
Over the course of the 20-minute interview, he defended agents who wore masks during immigration enforcement actions, saying some fear for their safety and the safety of their families, and went over the enforcement removal operations he oversees in the Chicago region.
The ICE field office covers Wisconsin, Kentucky, Indiana, Missouri and Kansas.
'There's a lot of hate being spewed at my officers,' Olson said. 'It's a little frustrating.'
A 20-year ICE veteran, Olson said he's never seen so much public doubt about the agency's legitimacy. He emphasized that officers receive extensive training — including basic Spanish courses — and said certified interpreters are available to explain individuals' rights.Allegations of misconduct are handled by ICE's Office of Professional Responsibility and may be escalated to the Department of Homeland Security's Office of Inspector General, he said.Olson said his office oversees a 'multitude of targets' across several states, with a focus on detaining individuals who pose safety risks or have final deportation orders.
He emphasized that immigration detention is not punitive but meant to ensure court appearances, noting that detention space is limited and costly. ICE also coordinates with the Department of Justice and Citizenship and Immigration Services.'When we're out there, some of the stuff that we're doing is oversimplified, and there's a lot more nuance to it,' he said. 'And there's just a lot bigger things going on in the background.'Chicago Tribune's Alice Yin and Caroline Kubzansky contributed.