A U.S. federal judge ordered the release on bail of hundreds of immigrants arrested by federal agents in immigration raids, which have rocked the Chicago (Illinois) metropolitan area during the Trump Administration’s ‘Operation Midway Blitz’.
U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Cummings accepted a claim by attorneys for the National Immigrant Justice Center that the arrests occurred in violation of a court agreement in effect in Illinois and five neighboring states.
Immigrants detained in Chicago raids ordered released
“All of Mr. Bovino’s tactics, all of ICE’s tactics have been illegal in the vast, vast majority of arrests,” sentenced attorney Mark Fleming of the National Immigrant Justice Center following the ruling by #U.S. federal judge Jeffrey Cummings, who… pic.twitter.com/uYc0Q18Lmh
– TV Migrante (@TvMigrante) November 13, 2025
Those subject to release must obtain bail before noon on November 21.
The exact number of people who would regain their freedom will depend on how many have not left the country voluntarily or have been deported.
The ruling applies to individuals who do not have mandatory detention orders and do not pose a significant risk.
In Illinois, the so-called Castañon-Nava Consent of 2022, limits the circumstances under which officers can make warrantless arrests when enforcing civil immigration laws.
At the hearing, the magistrate resolved to grant “equitable relief” by ordering the provisional release of these individuals through “alternatives to detention”.
Such as the use of electronic ankle monitors or regular follow-up appointments with immigration agents, virtually through mobile applications.
Judge Cummings ordered the Justice Department to review all arrests that fall into the same category and submit a list by November 19, and thereafter take appropriate action.
Cummings ruled last month that agents who have acted in and around Chicago violated the agreement.
Attorneys for both sides have since worked to identify how many arrests violated the previously agreed consent.
Cases occurring on a daily basis
Attorney Mark Fleming, of the National Immigrant Justice Center, told local media that cases like these occur daily.
According to the lawyer, so far, the list of people detained in violation of the judicial agreement exceeds 3,000.
Fleming indicated that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has submitted a list of 3,800 individuals.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Border Patrol reported 1,200 people, although it clarified that there could be duplicate entries on both lists, so there is no definitive total figure.
In addition, the attorney said that both lists only cover up to the beginning of October and about 1,000 people are no longer in the United States because they were deported after signing voluntary removal orders.
Attorneys representing DHS argued at the hearing that Congress stripped federal courts of their authority to grant parole to large groups of immigrants in ICE custody.
In their pleadings, they argued that “Congress has granted parole authority exclusively to the Secretary of Homeland Security.
Federal courts cannot order the Department of Homeland Security to release any alien on parole because Congress has taken that authority away.”
Filed under: Immigrants Detained in Chicago Raids Ordered Released
With information from EFE
