ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) agents in Chicago arrested on November 16 a Mexican national identified as Leonardo Ignot-Osto, 40, who has a recent conviction for kidnapping and improperly luring a 17-year-old minor.
According to authorities, Ignot-Osto entered the United States illegally at least five times since 2005, despite being detained multiple times by the Border Patrol.
A history of illegal entries and a serious criminal case
The case has generated concern in Illinois and has reignited the debate about cooperation between sanctuary cities and federal authorities, especially in serious crimes against minors.
According to ICE, Leonardo Ignot-Osto was intercepted by Border Patrol on four occasions during 2005.
In each case, he accepted a voluntary departure to Mexico.
However, he returned illegally to the country and remained in U.S. territory for several more years.
By 2010, he was already facing charges in the United States, but according to ICE statements, the city of Chicago, which is labeled a “sanctuary city,” did not turn him over to federal authorities after his first conviction.
Emily Covington, assistant director of ICE Public Affairs, stated:
Este es el tipo de individuo que ICE está arrestando en Chicago: un inmigrante ilegal que entró repetidamente al país y cometió crímenes atroces contra un menor. Si Chicago lo hubiera entregado tras su condena en 2010, no habría estado aquí para victimizar a un niño inocente
Emily Covington
Charges and conviction in Illinois for kidnapping and deception of a minor
The most recent case against Leonardo Ignot-Osto occurred in April 2025, when the state of Illinois formally charged him with: Kidnapping, kidnapping of a minor and two counts of luring a minor for indecent purposes.
On September 18, 2025, a state court found him guilty of abduction and luring of a minor under the age of 17, for which he was sentenced to one year in prison in Illinois.
Leonardo Ignot-Osto had previously been arrested for retail theft, which added to his criminal record.
Final ICE Arrest and Deportation Proceedings
ICE placed Leonardo Ignot-Osto inside the Scott County Jail, where he was in custody on the state charges.
Upon completion of his sentence, federal agents executed the arrest warrant on November 16 and transferred him to a federal detention facility.
He is currently in ICE custody, where he will remain while his deportation proceedings move forward.
Due to his criminal history and multiple illegal re-entries, Leonardo Ignot-Osto is considered a priority for removal under federal law.
