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Seventeen File Tort Claims Against DHS Over September 2025 Chicago Raid; Court Records Cite Squatters, Not Gang Activity

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Federal Tort Claims Filed Against DHS Over Massive Chicago Raid

On September 30, 2025, agents from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) conducted a large-scale operation at an apartment building in Chicago’s South Shore neighborhood. Approximately 300 heavily armed agents participated, with some descending from a Black Hawk helicopter. The operation resulted in the detention of multiple individuals and has since generated legal actions and conflicting accounts regarding its justification and execution.

Legal Claims Filed by Tenants

Seventeen individuals—fifteen immigrants and two U.S. citizens—filed administrative tort claims against DHS and other federal agencies under the Federal Tort Claims Act.

Each claimant is seeking approximately $5 million in damages for alleged physical and emotional harm, property loss, and unlawful detention.

Specific Allegations from Claimants:

  • Tolulope Akinsulie, a Nigerian man, reported being bitten by a DHS dog, resulting in scars on his ankle, thighs, hip, and wrist. He stated he was asleep and did not hear any warnings.

  • A Venezuelan mother and her 16-year-old son were reportedly taken at gunpoint; the son experienced hyperventilation after witnessing agents assaulting others.

  • José Miguel Jiménez López, a Mexican man, reported being zip-tied, told he was not welcome in the United States, and had his Chicago identification card destroyed.

  • Families with young children reported being held at gunpoint, marched outside in pajamas, and separated from family members.

  • Claimants reported the loss of property including shoes, electronics, cash, and vehicles.

DHS has stated that the operation was performed in compliance with the law and denied any compensation is owed. The agency previously stated that no children were handcuffed or restrained, a claim that contradicts some accounts from the claimants.

Contradictory Government Justifications

The Trump administration had publicly asserted that the operation was based on intelligence indicating the building had been taken over by Tren de Aragua, a Venezuelan gang.

However, court records later obtained by ProPublica and reported by NPR provide a different stated rationale.

According to arrest records for two men involved in the raid, the government's cited reason was to address individuals illegally occupying apartments. The documents state 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.

DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin did not directly address questions about the court documents focusing on squatters. She stated 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, some with criminal records but no alleged connection to the gang. No criminal charges have been filed against anyone arrested in connection with the raid.

Entry Authorization and Building Condition

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

An NPR visit to the building after the raid found it in a state of disrepair, with graffiti, water leaks, and broken amenities. The building was later shuttered due to safety issues.

Legal Proceedings and Representation

The tort claims were filed under the Federal Tort Claims Act, which allows individuals to seek compensation for harm caused by federal employees. If the agency does not respond or denies the claim within six months, claimants can file a lawsuit.

Attorneys from MALDEF, the National Immigrant Justice Center, the University of Chicago Immigrants' Rights Clinic, and the MacArthur Justice Center represent the tenants.

Separate litigation is ongoing. Mark Fleming, associate director of federal litigation at the National Immigrant Justice Center, represents a Venezuelan man and a Mexican man—both in the country illegally—in a legal challenge against warrantless arrests by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Chicago. Fleming stated that the court records confirm concerns about the operation and noted that addressing squatters is not within the jurisdiction of the federal government.

Aftermath

  • Two U.S. citizen residents of the building were detained for approximately one hour during the raid before being released.
  • Many of the immigrants detained in the operation have since been deported.
  • José Miguel Jiménez López was detained for four months before being released at the Mexico border; he is now living in Guanajuato, Mexico.