Illinois Accountability Commission report on "Operation Midway Blitz,"recommends prosecution of federal agents
A more than 200 page report by the Illinois Accountability Commission, chaired by former federal judge Ruben Castillo, provides a record of federal officers' misconduct, and makes recommendations for accountability and new policies. See Capitol News Illinois.
Here is the đź“„Report. The Executive Summary reads as follows:
"This Final Report is the culmination of the Illinois Accountability Commission’s work to create a public record of the conduct of federal agents during Operation Midway Blitz, examine the impact that conduct had on individuals, and offer policy recommendations to prevent future harm in Illinois. To compile this Final Report, the Commission has held public hearings and community listening sessions; conducted investigations, witness interviews, and evidence gathering; solicited testimony and research from subject matter experts; and reviewed news reports and lawsuits.
Despite the many instances where the Commission has identified that the federal administration lied about Operation Midway Blitz, they were accurate in one respect: its name. It was in fact a “blitzkrieg”: a “war conducted with great speed and force.”
Operation Midway Blitz agents regularly used force against Illinoisans without justification, including immigrants, U .S . citizens, protesters, journalists, clergy members, and bystanders. Federal agents slammed people to the ground without provocation, rammed other vehicles with theirs, sprayed bystanders (including children) with tear gas and pepper spray, and shot two individuals, killing one. Agents failed to use appropriate tactics and then inflamed dangerous situations they created in the first place. And when criticism surfaced, federal administration leadership doubled down and defended the misconduct of their officers.
DHS deployed roving patrols of agents to spread fear in residential neighborhoods . They stopped people for questioning based on how they looked, how they spoke or where they worked. They arrested people without probable cause, often without asking any questions about their immigration status before placing them in handcuffs . Agents on these roving patrols donned face masks, military fatigues, body armor, and military-style weapons. They drove unmarked cars and refused to identify themselves. They recorded protesters and legal observers to intimidate them from documenting their activities. They used physical force and tear gas indiscriminately.
After they were arrested, individuals were detained in deplorable conditions. Their families often were not informed when their loved ones were arrested and had to track them down on their own or hope for a phone call. Detained individuals were transferred between facilities without warning or explanation and left in a state of confusion about the status of their immigration case.
None of this was by accident. It was a whole-of-government approach to suppress opposition and pressure Illinois because of its immigrant-friendly policies, under the guise of achieving mass deportation. Those efforts were instigated by and had the full support of senior federal officials. In its wake, Operation Midway Blitz leaves a devastating mark on civic life in Chicago, negatively undermining community trust in state and local law enforcement, damaging neighborhood economics, and hurting the mental health and well-being of Illinois residents, including children and families.
The Commission’s work was inspired by Chicago and Illinois residents. The Commission was able to listen to their stories directly through 5 public hearings and 7 community listening sessions. The Commission analyzed the actions of federal agents with experience from numerous experts who volunteered their time.
Below are the key findings issued by the Commission . These findings were derived from the Commissioners, subject matter experts, community members, advocates, rapid responders, and many others who witnessed Operation Midway Blitz.
This Final Report cannot capture every act of misconduct committed by federal agents, nor can it capture every pain inflicted on the people of Illinois. The stories represented here are but a sample of those that must continue to be told in the months and years ahead. And while truth-telling is a form of accountability on its own, the Commission’s hope is that its work will prompt further investigation and accountability by law enforcement, Congress and in the courts.
