CHICAGO () — A collision involving immigration agents and a pickup truck near the Stevenson Expressway prompted an arrest Monday and quickly drew protesters, elected officials and community organizers to the area, as questions mounted over the tactics used during the stop.
Illinois State Police said U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents were riding in a second vehicle connected to the incident, which happened just before 11:30 a.m. on the Damen Avenue exit ramp from Interstate 55. Authorities said no one was injured.
Key details about what led up to the arrest have not been released. Still, activists and local leaders raised concerns about what they described as agents apparently using a vehicle to block or stop a blue pickup truck on a heavily traveled expressway off-ramp.
Kevin Amaro, with the Southwest Side Rapid Response Team, said he had been driving on I-55 shortly before the crash unfolded.
“I saw five to six cars, speeding really fast,” Amaro said.
Amaro said he stopped after seeing the aftermath and managed to briefly speak with the man who was being taken into custody.
“He quickly asked me, ‘Do you have a phone? Can you call my family and please let them know. Call them,'” Amaro said.
Amaro said the man was removed from the scene before he was able to gather any further information.
As news of the incident spread, more people gathered near the off-ramp, where the damaged ICE vehicle had been towed.
Baltazar Enríquez of the Little Village Community Council said community members sought information from agents at the scene.
“We asked one of the agents, ‘Why were you following him?'” Enríquez said. “He responds ‘Oh, he had a DUI warrant.’ But we don’t know yet if this is true.”
Ald. Julia Ramirez, whose 12th Ward includes parts of the area, also responded to the scene. Ramirez said she was concerned about the potential for tensions to escalate as protesters gathered.
“Last year, there was tear gas and rubber bullets, and I was really worried about that occurring,” Ramirez said. “And I decided to bring a staffer along, so we could be on the scene to potentially de-escalate.”
Ramirez said she has not been able to verify the reason for the arrest but questioned the manner in which it appeared to have been conducted.
“The ICE vehicle was pinned alongside that vehicle. Super dangerous. We’re talking about the expressway,” Ramirez said.
The Department of Homeland Security issued a comment saying, “”On August 24, while conducting targeted enforcement operations, ICE officers approached Robinson Mendez-Gutierrez, a criminal illegal alien from Venezuela, who then fled from officers in his pickup truck.
“From reports on the ground, an ICE officer activated his emergency lights to conduct a vehicle stop, but Mendez-Gutierrez refused to comply and weaponized his pickup truck against the officer by ramming it into the officer’s vehicle. The officer was able to stop Mendez-Gutierrez’s pickup truck and arrest him without further incident.
“Mendez-Gutierrez has a criminal history including arrests for possession of a controlled substance, failure to reduce speed, driver’s license not on person, driver’s license expired more than a year, operating an uninsured motor vehicle, and illegal possession/transportation of liquor by driver. He illegally entered the United States in 2023 and was RELEASED into our county by the Biden administration. He will remain in ICE custody pending the outcome of his removal proceedings.
“Our officers are facing more than a 1,300% increase in assaults, a 3,300% increase in vehicle attacks, and an 8,000% increase in death threats. Under President Trump and Secretary Mullin, ICE is targeting the worst of the worst. Nearly 70% of ICE arrests are of illegal aliens charged or convicted of a crime in the U.S.”
