‘F*** Them Kids!’: Children Were Zip-Tied, U.S. Citizens Were Detained, As Every Resident In Chicago Building Was Terrorized By Armed ICE Agents In Violent Raid
Residents inside a Chicago apartment building said a recent overnight raid conducted by ICE agents reached dehumanizing heights when they were zip-tied, separated from their children, and hauled into vans, all without knowing the reason for their detainment. The raid was a “targeted immigration enforcement operation” carried out by Border Patrol agents in Chicago's South Shore neighborhood, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. Hundreds of federal agents streamed into the city to carry out the operation as part of President Donald Trump's robust immigration crackdown. Officials claimed the five-story building they targeted had been frequented by roughly 30 immigrants who are part of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua. Residents of a Chicago apartment building were all targeted in an ICE raid. (Photos: TikTok/ABC7Chicago) "In the early morning hours of September 30, 2025, allied federal law enforcement agencies with CBP, FBI, and ATF, executed an enforcement operation in Chicago's South Shore area, a location known to be frequented by Tren de Aragua members and their associates," DHS officials said, per WLS. "Some of the targeted subjects are believed to be involved in drug trafficking and distribution, weapons crimes, and immigration violators." ‘I’m Gonna Hurt You!’: North Carolina Trooper Punches, Drags Disabled Man After Seizure-Induced Crash and the Disturbing Accusation That Followed Led to a Lawsuit But as part of the operation, every resident inside the building was detained and their apartments raided, regardless of their background and national origin. After firing off flash bombs and storming the property, residents said agents broke down their doors, zip-tied them, and dragged them outside to sit in vans for hours before being released. Many learned that if they had an arrest warrant, even one unrelated to immigration, they would be taken into custody. "They just treated us like we were nothing. It was scary, because I had never had a gun in my face," resident Pertissue Fisher told WLS. "They asked my name and my date of birth and asked me, did I have any warrants? And I told them, 'No,' I didn't." Rodrick Johnson, a 67-year-old U.S. citizen, said he was tied up outside the building for three hours before he was released. “I asked why they were holding me if I was an American citizen, and they said I had to wait until they looked me up,” Johnson said. “I asked if they had a warrant, and I asked for a lawyer. They never brought one.” "As I got to my unit to stick my key in the door, I was grabbed by an officer. And, I said, 'What's going on? What's going on?' He never actually told me. He said I was being detained," said resident Alicia Brooks. Neighbors who witnessed the chaotic scene say military-style trucks and rented U-Haul vans were also used to separate parents from their children. "They had the Black people in one van, and the immigrants in another van. They was terrified. The kids was crying. People was screaming. They looked very distraught," neighbor Eboni Watson said. "I was out there crying when I seen the little girl come around the corner, because they was bringing the kids down, too, had them zip tied to each other. That's all I kept asking. What is the morality? Where's the human? One of them literally laughed. He was standing right here. He said, 'f*** them kids.'" @abc7chicago Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents raided a South Shore apartment building overnight. Residents and neighbors are speaking out at what they call a traumatic event. #news #chicagonews #chicago #immigration #ice #southshore ♬ original sound - abc7chicago "We're under siege. We're being invaded," said witness Darrell Ballard. The Department of Homeland Security said federal agents arrested 37 people that night. Officials confirmed that some U.S. citizens were temporarily detained as a protocol to keep residents safe, and that the operation went "very smoothly," according to NewsNation. According to the Sun-Times, police in Chicago have focused on locating and arresting alleged Tren de Aragua members over the last several weeks. While the Trump administration has flagged gang activity as one of the primary reasons for urban violence, dozens of arrest records and official data show little evidence tying the Venezuelan gang to violent crime in Chicago. In the last few years, Venezuelan nationals who were arrested have mostly faced non-violent drug charges and traffic infractions. Thousands of immigrants have poured into Chicago in recent months seeking refuge, with many settling in the South Shore area. Federal officials characterized some of the immigrants as violent criminals moonlighting as refugees. "How about you live in the apartment next-door to the Tren de Aragua members that are trafficking prostitution, guns, drugs and taking advantage of American citizens in a violent way," Border Patrol Commander-At-Large Gregory Bovino told NewsNation. Community members have said otherwise. One resident who lived in the raided building stated that most of the neighbors on his floor were Venezuelan. He said they never caused trouble and would help keep the building clean when property management failed to. “They were cool people,” said resident Dan Jones. “They didn’t speak a lick of English, but we used translator apps to talk to each other.” In the aftermath of the raid, apartments were ransacked, valuables stolen, and several residents said their homes were left uninhabitable. “It looks like hell,” Jones told Block Club Chicago. “ICE really just a gang.” Belongings were also left strewn across hallways, zip ties and blood stains were found on the floors, and strangers had even squatted in some apartments. “Stuff was everywhere,” said Watson. “You could see people’s birth certificates and papers thrown all over. Water was leaking into the hallway. It was wicked crazy.” Trump has announced that the National Guard will be deployed to Chicago "soon." In recent weeks, he has touted his violent crime intervention in Washington, D.C. as an immense success and previously signaled he would be sending troops to other Democrat-run cities that he flagged as "violent" and "dangerous." He stated Chicago should be used as "training grounds" for the U.S. military and National Guard. State leaders have fiercely pushed back at the idea and threatened to launch legal battles if Trump follows up on the pledge.
