The chair of the Illinois Accountability Commission says he is hearing a fresh uptick in ICE arrests has begun, as Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin signals a shift toward less visible enforcement.
Ruben Castillo, former chief judge of the federal court for Northern Illinois, told CBS News Chicago he is watching for signs of a tactical shift under new Homeland Security Secretary Mark Wayne Mullin — months after a spring surge that many expected never materialized following last year’s Operation Midway Blitz sweep.
"We are going to take a different approach that can be more effective and less public-facing," Mullin said in remarks obtained by CBS News.
Castillo said he believes that shift is deliberate.
"He wants to pivot to not being as notorious, (but) I think he still wants to accomplish the same goals," Castillo said.
Castillo, who was appointed to lead the commission by Gov. JB Pritzker, has been pressing for charges, or at minimum an investigation, into two shootings involving federal immigration agents. The first involved Silverio Villegas González, who was killed in Franklin Park last September. The second involved Marimar Martinez, who was shot multiple times in Chicago last October.
With federal prosecutors seen as unlikely to act, Castillo has directed criticism at Cook County State’s Attorney Eileen O’Neil Burke for what he described as inaction.
"It’s very frustrating because Minnesota is prosecuting, Colorado is prosecuting, other jurisdictions are prosecuting federal agents, and yet Chicago is looking kind of silly by not prosecuting or not even investigating," Castillo said.
Burke’s office has said Illinois statute requires a completed investigation from a law enforcement agency before charges can be filed.
Late Monday, the state’s attorney’s office issued a statement: "To date, we have not received a completed investigation from law enforcement related to on-duty use of force conduct by a federal immigration enforcement officer. We are supporting the investigation by ISP into the death of Silverio Villegas González in accordance with our charging protocol."
There is currently one known investigation underway. Days after the Illinois Accountability Commission released its report on Operation Midway Blitz, Franklin Park police asked the Illinois State Police to open an investigation into the death of Villegas González.
No similar investigation has been publicly announced in connection with the shooting of Martinez.
News,Region: Chicago,City: Chicago
via Local News – CBS Chicago https://ift.tt/x5KYTak
June 22, 2026 at 04:47PM
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