Politics
Gov. Pritzker Orders State Agencies to Probe Treatment of Kids Detained by Feds During South Shore Raid
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker speaks alongside dozens of elected officials about threats to send the National Guard to Chicago in a news conference on Aug. 25, 2025. (WTTW News)
Gov. JB Pritzker ordered state agencies Friday to evaluate the treatment of four children detained during a raid by federal agents of a South Shore apartment building.
The four children were held “until they could be placed in the care of guardians,” according to the New York Times, citing Department of Homeland Security officials.
Pritzker, who is running for a third term as governor and considering a run for president in 2028, said he was “appalled by the reports of excessive use of force against children as well as the many innocent bystanders who were punished simply for residing in that building.”
Without providing evidence, federal officials said 300 agents raided the South Shore apartment building to arrest members of the Tren de Aragua criminal organization, which originated in Venezuela. Federal officials said 37 people were arrested, but several days after the raid, they have not been identified or charged with a crime.
The apartment building had become a home for dozens of migrants who made their way to Chicago from the southern border on buses paid for by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott in an attempt to bolster President Donald Trump’s bid for reelection.
Approximately 300 federal agents conducted the late-night raid, with some landing on the building from Blackhawk helicopters, according to a video produced by federal officials and posted on social media.
Other agents arrived in moving vans and large trucks, according to the video.
If the Illinois Department of Family and Children Services “receives allegations of suspected abuse or neglect by federal agents, the state will take formal steps to pursue every possible avenue to ensure the safety and well-being of children, including collaborating with local law enforcement as necessary,” according to the statement from the governor’s office.
“Imagine being a child awakened in the middle of the night by a Black Hawk helicopter landing in your neighborhood,” Pritzker said in a statement. “Imagine an armed stranger forcibly removing you from your bed, zip-tying your hands, separating you from your family, and detaining you in a dark van for hours. This didn’t happen in a country with an authoritarian regime — it happened here in Chicago. It happened in the United States of America — a country that should be a bastion of freedom, hope, and the rights of our people as guaranteed by the Constitution. Military-style tactics should never be used on children in a functioning democracy.”
Contact Heather Cherone: @HeatherCherone | (773) 569-1863 | [email protected]
