US Law Enforcement Agencies Cooperate with ICE in Undercover Probe

A recent investigation has uncovered a shocking level of cooperation between local law enforcement agencies and federal authorities in the US. Documents released by the defense team of 15 Minnesota activists facing federal charges reveal that Chicago-area police officers took part in an undercover probe into anti-ICE groups last spring.

The probe, led by Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), was aimed at gathering evidence on a group of activists accused of conspiring against Operation Metro Surge. The operation saw a significant increase in immigration enforcement efforts over three months last year, resulting in the tragic deaths of two US citizens.

A joint task force consisting of 14 law enforcement officers, including six local cops and eight HSI agents from Chicago, was involved in the investigation. According to newly released documents, this team monitored an April 2 talk by self-described anarchists who shared their experiences with organizing anti-ICE protests during Operation Metro Surge.

The document reveals that the task force used a range of tactics to gather evidence, including undercover agents, electronic surveillance, audio recordings, license-plate-reader data, and footage from Chicago's extensive CCTV network. This information was used to identify attendees at the April 2 event and build connections between anti-ICE protests in Illinois and other states.

The close cooperation between local police, sheriffs, and HSI agents has raised concerns about the limits of law enforcement powers and potential political repression. The defense team behind the 15 Minnesota activists claims that this collaboration crosses a crucial line into surveillance of lawful protest activities, sparking questions about the accountability of those involved in the investigation.

The Chicago-area Homeland Security Investigations Task Force has been at the center of controversy following allegations that local cops collaborated with federal agents to spy on Minnesota anti-ICE activists. According to records from the Kane County Sheriff's office, this task force is a unit comprised of local law enforcement officers who join on either a full-time or part-time basis for two years, subject to their superiors' approval.

Since last autumn's Operation Midway Blitz in Illinois, residents in Chicago and surrounding communities have been demanding answers about cooperation between local law enforcement and ICE. While Illinois state law prohibits local cops from participating in immigration enforcement operations, it appears that criminal investigations by HSI may fall outside these restrictions due to their connection to ICE's other law enforcement functions.

Chicago police have strict rules governing surveillance and infiltration of protests or public gatherings, as outlined in a 2017 departmental order. However, it remains unclear how these regulations apply to Chicago Police Department agents participating in joint task forces with federal agencies like HSI.

The CPD has responded to questions about the April 2 investigation by stating that no First Amendment notifications were made to their chain of command or general counsel. The department claims its work with HSI is permitted under Illinois law because it pertained to criminal enforcement, not immigration.

A source familiar with the matter revealed that the Chicago Police Department (CPD) believed its early April surveillance operation was part of a larger federal investigation into racketeering.

The report highlights a financial aspect related to the event: a GoFundMe account had been set up to support the Crimethinc speaking tour, which included the Minnesota anti-ICE activists' gathering in Chicago.

The Chicago Mayor's Office declined to provide comment ahead of publication.

In response to inquiries from WIRED, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) neither confirmed nor denied details of past or present investigations, stating that individual agents are not authorized to speak to the media.

HSI has been at the forefront of efforts to crack down on internal dissent, with its agents conducting high-profile operations such as the Minnesota 15 investigation.

A police officer from Aurora was dropped off at a Co-Prosperity event in Chicago's Bridgeport neighborhood by another officer from Downers Grove. The two officers were part of an undercover operation led by HSI, which aimed to monitor the gathering without arousing suspicion.

The HSI agent transmitted live audio recordings of the event to their team for about an hour before losing contact. These recordings were later shared with Kenneth Popovits, a financial crimes investigations supervisor who was temporarily based in Minneapolis as part of his work on HSI's surveillance efforts.

The HSI Chicago team also recorded 219 vehicles parked near Co-Prosperity during the event, suggesting that they had a significant presence in the area. Several individuals already under investigation by ICE were identified at the gathering, including some speakers who participated in the tour.

Comments made by defendant Callum Robinet during an April 2 talk in Bridgeport about building rapid-response networks have been included in the federal conspiracy indictment against the Minnesota 15. These remarks are seen as evidence implicating Chicagoland law enforcement agencies that took part in surveillance at the event.

A Kane County Sheriff's deputy identified a hooded individual removing an object from his trunk outside the venue where the Minnesota activists were gathered.

The deputy had run the license plate of the vehicle and discovered that it belonged to someone who had been arrested in October as part of Operation Midway Blitz, but whose prosecution had been declined by a US attorney.

Agents Joel Sullivan and Michael Finerty observed another individual already under investigation for running an anti-ICE chat group called "ICE Cream Patrol" outside the venue. They also noted that an orange Hyundai had been seen near protests at an ICE detention center in Illinois earlier this year.

The surveillance continued for approximately two hours until 8:30 pm on April 2, with agents monitoring the activities of the activists from a distance.

A Chicago Police detective filed a request to obtain footage from a nearby CPD camera, but it took a week for the request to be processed and it remains unclear whether any relevant footage was obtained or shared with HSI.

The surveillance of anti-ICE activists extends beyond Minnesota borders, as reports reveal that HSI agents monitored events on the Crimethinc tour in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and Seattle, Washington. Local HSI agents attended these gatherings in person, documenting the content of speeches and sharing their findings with colleagues in Minneapolis.

This infiltration has raised concerns about the constitutionally protected right to assemble and express dissent against public policy, as noted by a prominent advocate for social justice.