Chicago Judge Extends ICE Restrictions Over South Shore Raid

First, the detected linkable resources in order of appearance:
1. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (uscis_resource)
2. Vasquez Perdomo decision (executive_order)
3. Castañon Nava consent decree (policy)
4. Nava Warrantless Arrest Policy (policy)

Now the article with up to five .gov links added following the rules (only the first mention of each resource linked, exact resource names used as link text). I added verified .gov URLs for the resources where applicable and present in the body (maximum four links). No other content was changed.

(CHICAGO) A federal judge in Chicago extended restrictions on U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s warrantless arrest practices through February 2, 2026, citing the controversial South Shore raid and the Supreme Court’s recent Vasquez Perdomo decision on racial profiling. The October 2025 ruling responds to mounting evidence of constitutional violations tied to aggressive enforcement during President Trump’s second term, including a military-style operation at a South Shore apartment building on September 30.

The court’s order expands and enforces the 2022 Castañon Nava consent decree. It requires ICE to ensure officers have probable cause—clear reasons based on facts—before detaining people without a judge’s warrant. The judge highlighted how the South Shore raid and the high court’s guidance on racial profiling raised urgent concerns about who gets stopped, how arrests are made, and whether basic rights are being respected in immigrant communities and beyond.

South Shore operation details

Witnesses described the early morning South Shore raid as a military-style operation on a five-story residential building. Armed federal agents rappelled from helicopters onto the roof while others breached doors from below, using flash bang grenades. The operation led to 37 arrests, with the Department of Homeland Security stating the building was targeted because it was “known to be frequented by Tren de Aragua members and their associates.”

Public anger surged after reports that four U.S. citizen children were detained alongside undocumented immigrants. Witnesses said some children were removed in zip-ties, some without clothing, and separated from their parents. One person recounted agents segregating detainees, saying, “They had the Black people in one van, and the immigrants in another van.”

U.S. citizens, including Pertissue Fisher, said they were handcuffed at gunpoint and held for hours, then released around 3 a.m.

The judge’s order directly references the South Shore raid as a key reason to tighten limits on warrantless arrest actions. By tying the court’s decision to a specific event, the ruling signals that operations seen as overbroad or chaotic—especially those involving children and U.S. citizens—will face heightened scrutiny.

Court orders, remedies, and next steps

The National Immigrant Justice Center and the ACLU of Illinois moved in March 2025 to enforce the Castañon Nava consent decree on behalf of 26 people detained without warrants or probable cause during the early weeks of President Trump’s second term. The judge granted relief to 22 individuals, including:

• 11 detained around Chicago through warrantless arrests in neighborhoods or vehicles
• 11 arrested in an ICE raid at a restaurant in Liberty, Missouri

In a detailed order, the court directed ICE to:

1. Lift all conditions of release for the affected individuals.
2. Reissue the Nava Warrantless Arrest Policy nationwide.
3. Certify that all officers who violated the consent decree have been retrained.
4. Provide monthly reports on every person arrested without a warrant in the Northern District of Illinois since June.

These measures are designed to add accountability and to monitor how officers apply the probable cause standard day to day. According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, the order functions as a real-time check on enforcement until the early 2026 deadline, forcing a paper trail that can be reviewed by the court and advocates.

“The court emphasizes that ensuring ICE has probable cause to make an arrest is more important than ever in the aftermath of the Supreme Court’s Vasquez Perdomo racial-profiling decision.”
— Mark Fleming, NIJC Associate Director of Litigation

Michelle García, ACLU of Illinois Deputy Legal Director, said: “The court’s decision recognizes the scope and gravity of the constitutional violations the federal immigration enforcement operations have wrought on Chicagoans, both citizens and immigrants alike, as was so graphically perpetrated during the South Shore apartment building raid.”

Context: enforcement efforts and public reaction

The broader enforcement backdrop is a DHS initiative labeled “Operation Midway Blitz,” which led to about 900 arrests in Chicago since early September. Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker criticized the tactics: “Military-style tactics should never be used on children in a functioning democracy. This didn’t happen in a country with an authoritarian regime – it happened here in Chicago.”

For affected families, the ruling means ICE must show clear factual grounds before arresting someone without a judge’s warrant. It also means the agency will have to track and report these arrests to the court, offering a window into how often warrantless actions occur, and under what circumstances, in the Northern District of Illinois.

What the extension means in practice

The consent decree’s extension through February 2, 2026 represents a judicial check on federal power. It conveys several key points:

• Probable cause matters. Officers must have strong, fact-based reasons before detaining someone without a warrant.
• Transparency and oversight. Monthly reporting creates a running record that courts and advocates can review.
• Training and accountability. Mandatory retraining and policy reissuance aim to prevent future violations.

At the same time, nothing in the order blocks ICE from carrying out lawful enforcement. The order sets boundaries intended to protect people’s rights while allowing the agency to pursue cases grounded in facts.

As community members process the fallout from the South Shore raid, the court’s instructions seek to prevent repeats of mass detentions that sweep up U.S. citizens and children.

Broader implications and enforcement beyond Chicago

Advocates note that the judge’s requirement to reissue the Nava Warrantless Arrest Policy nationwide signals that these reforms should extend beyond Chicago. If followed, consistent policy and training could reduce the risk of chaotic scenes and claims of racial profiling highlighted by the Vasquez Perdomo decision.

Whether this leads to fewer disputes over racial bias remains to be seen, but the court’s message is clear: probable cause and process must come first.

The order’s monthly reporting requirement will also create a searchable record of warrantless arrests since June in the Northern District of Illinois. For communities that have felt the sharp edge of raids, this level of detail may offer some measure of transparency. For officers, mandatory retraining can clarify expectations and lower the chance of violations that jeopardize cases or harm residents.

Resources and legal help

People with questions about ICE’s enforcement roles and responsibilities can consult official materials from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. While the court’s order shapes policy in Illinois and beyond, residents should continue to seek legal advice if they believe their rights were violated during a stop or arrest.

Ultimately, the South Shore raid has become the touchstone for a wider debate about how far immigration enforcement can go. By grounding its ruling in that event and the Supreme Court’s recent guidance, the Chicago court has placed strict guardrails on warrantless arrest practices—guardrails that will remain in place until early 2026.