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DHS Says Suspected Tren de Aragua Member Arrested After Elgin ICE Standoff, Fueling Local Backlash

Videos of chemical agents and flash-bang devices used during the operation prompted Elgin officials and residents to challenge federal tactics.

Overview

  • ICE arrested Luis Jesus Acosta Gutierrez on Saturday after he allegedly rammed an agent’s vehicle and barricaded himself in an Elgin apartment.
  • DHS publicly identified him as a suspected member of Tren de Aragua, which the U.S. designated a foreign terrorist organization this year.
  • Authorities say he entered the U.S. in April 2023, was granted Temporary Protected Status that was terminated last month, and now faces removal proceedings.
  • Witness videos show agents deploying pepper spray and flash-bang devices as they withdrew, while some protesters threw snowballs, rocks and bottles.
  • The Elgin Police Department said it could not assist federal immigration enforcement under the Illinois Trust Act, and local leaders including the mayor and a state representative criticized the operation; Chicago’s mayor also condemned it.