By Suzanne Downing 
A federal judge in Chicago has ordered the release of more than 300 people detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement during “Operation Midway Blitz,” ruling that the arrests violated a longstanding agreement restricting warrantless detentions.
The decision came from liberal US District Judge Jeffrey Irvine Cummings, who serves on the Northern District of Illinois. Appointed in 2023, Cummings is known for his work in civil rights litigation, voting rights, employment discrimination, and immigration enforcement cases. He spent years as a magistrate judge and as an attorney focused on civil rights. Born in 1962 in Fort Wayne, Indiana, he graduated with honors from Michigan State University in 1984 and earned his law degree from Northwestern Pritzker School of Law in 1987, where he served as president of the Black Law Students Association.
Cummings’ latest ruling centers on the Castañon Nava settlement, which bars ICE and Customs and Border Patrol from arresting individuals without warrants. He determined that 13 Illinois residents had been unlawfully detained and moved to facilities in Texas, Missouri and other states. From there, the case widened into a broader review of ICE’s practices over the past several months.
Cummings ordered the Department of Homeland Security to meet three deadlines. By Friday, DHS must provide detailed information on the status and flight-risk assessments of 615 people who were arrested without warrants between June and early October. By Nov. 19, the agency must turn over updated status reports for individuals detained in the Chicago area.
The most consequential deadline comes on Nov. 21, when DHS must release 313 detainees the government itself has identified as low flight risk and who were taken into custody in violation of the consent decree. Those individuals may be released on a $1,500 bond and placed under monitoring, including GPS ankle tracking. Detainees deemed high-risk may remain in government custody.
Cummings said the court would have no role to play if ICE had followed the terms of the settlement, but that credible allegations of violations require action.
Government lawyers told the court that gathering the required documentation will be difficult and time-consuming, and they may appeal the order.
Only criminals sympathize with criminals
Judge and the courts did nothing to reduce Chicago’s crime
Maybe this ruling will play an oversized role in the takedown of illegal and immoral ICE tactics.
Sounds familiar. Sometime in every single Batman movie, some idiot politician or judge releases all the criminals from jail with predictable results. Batman was a cautionary tale rather than an instruction manual. Cheers –
Another lefty handed wingnut judge about to be overturned.