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ICE Uses Text Messages to Lure Immigrants, Detains Over 2,200 in One-Day Crackdown

Protests in Chicago and New York escalate calls for investigations into ICE’s tactic of luring immigrants to routine check-ins by text.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers detain a person, Monday, Jan. 27, 2025, in Silver Spring, Md.
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Overview

  • On June 4, ICE carried out its largest single-day operation, detaining more than 2,200 immigrants enrolled in its Alternatives to Detention program after summoning them via text message for routine appointments.
  • ICE stated those arrested held final orders of removal from an immigration judge and had not complied with their deportation orders, responding to White House directives for up to 3,000 daily arrests.
  • In Chicago’s South Loop, about a dozen people were taken into custody at a subcontracted check-in site, triggering confrontations with community activists and alderpersons attempting to block ICE vehicles.
  • Mayor Brandon Johnson and the Chicago City Council’s Latino Caucus condemned the operation as deceptive and dangerous, demanding a full investigation into ICE agents’ conduct.
  • Chicago police, citing the city’s Welcoming City Ordinance, remained on scene for crowd control but did not assist ICE in any enforcement actions.