Chicago, Illinois, USA: An Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer discharged his weapon during an attempted arrest on September 12 in Franklin Park, a suburb of Chicago, leading to the death of a man, according to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and an Illinois state lawmaker.
Officials said ICE agents conducted a vehicle stop to detain Silverio Villegas-Gonzalez when he allegedly drove his car toward them. DHS stated that one of the agents opened fire after being dragged by the vehicle.
The officer, whose identity has not been released, sustained injuries in the incident but is now reported to be in stable condition. DHS described the use of force as “appropriate” and highlighted that Villegas-Gonzalez had a prior record of reckless driving.
Efforts to reach Villegas-Gonzalez’s relatives for comment were unsuccessful, according to Reuters.
The federal operation was part of “Operation Midway Blitz,” an immigration enforcement initiative recently launched by the Trump administration in Chicago and across Illinois.
Illinois State Representative Lilian Jimenez, representing Chicago’s 4th district, strongly criticized the incident and ICE’s tactics.
“This puts our entire community at risk,” Jimenez said. “The very outcome we feared most has now happened. A member of our community has lost his life.”
While DHS initially said the episode occurred in Chicago, both Jimenez and Illinois Governor JB Pritzker clarified that it took place in Franklin Park.
“The people of Illinois deserve a full and transparent explanation of what happened today,” Pritzker wrote on X, calling for accountability.
In recent weeks, President Donald Trump has floated the idea of deploying National Guard troops and additional federal agents to Chicago, citing rising concerns about crime and immigration. So far, enforcement efforts have resembled previous ICE operations rather than the large-scale troop movements seen earlier this year in Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles.
Trump’s statements have fueled protests across Chicago and nearby suburbs. On Friday, he further announced plans to send National Guard forces to Memphis, Tennessee.
