Court Records Contradict Trump Administration Claims on 2025 South Shore Immigration Raid

Newly revealed court records indicate that a high-profile immigration raid on a South Shore Chicago apartment building in 2025 targeted squatters, rather than Venezuelan gang members as previously stated by the Trump Administration. The documents were initially reported by ProPublica.

New Court Records Challenge Official Narrative

Arrest records for two men involved in the September 30, 2025 raid show the government's stated reason was to address squatters, not gang members. The documents, included in a legal challenge concerning warrantless arrests in Chicago, state that the operation was based on "intelligence that there were illegal aliens unlawfully occupying apartments in the building," with no mention of criminal gangs or Tren de Aragua.

The operation was based on "intelligence that there were illegal aliens unlawfully occupying apartments in the building," with no mention of criminal gangs or Tren de Aragua.

The 2025 South Shore Raid

Following the raid, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released a video depicting agents with drawn guns and individuals being led away. The Trump Administration had repeatedly asserted that the building was frequented by members of Tren de Aragua, a Venezuelan gang.

Legal Experts Raise Concerns

Mark Fleming, associate director of federal litigation at the National Immigrant Justice Center, stated that the records confirm concerns about the operation, calling it a "brazen unconstitutional use of force." He emphasized that addressing squatters is not within the purview of the federal government.

Fleming represents a Venezuelan man and a Mexican man, both in the country illegally, in ongoing litigation challenging warrantless arrests by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Chicago.

Department of Homeland Security's Stance

DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin did not directly address questions about the court documents focusing on squatters. She informed NPR that due to the arrest of two other individuals allegedly belonging to a foreign terrorist organization at the building, further information was limited.

McLaughlin had previously stated that two people arrested in the raid were confirmed "terrorists and members of Tren de Aragua." Thirty-five other undocumented immigrants were also arrested, with some having criminal records but no alleged connection to the gang.

Building Entry and Condition

According to arrest records, the entry and search of the premises were facilitated by the building's owner/manager's verbal and written consent. The search reportedly focused on apartments that were not legally rented or leased.

An NPR visit to the building post-raid found it in disrepair, with graffiti, water leaks, and broken amenities. Two U.S. citizen residents of the building were detained for approximately an hour during the raid before being released. Fleming suggested that these developments indicate the federal government may misrepresent facts during such operations.