Throughout early fall, Evanston has experienced an influx in activity from federal immigration agencies, with several community members taken by agents in September and October. 

The city first informed residents it expected ICE agents in Evanston in a Sept. 8 statement.

The agents’ presence is part of Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Operation Midway Blitz, a federal immigration crackdown targeting undocumented immigrants in the Chicago area, first announced in September. 

This page will be updated with credible reports of federal immigration enforcement in the city. Updates will be posted as activity is confirmed by official government sources at the local, state and federal levels as well as through verified alerts from the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights. ICIRR operates a text alert system to inform community members on ICE sightings. According to ICIRR’s website, alerts are only issued when recent sightings are verified by an affiliated rapid response team.

Since the beginning of the year, the city has taken efforts to protect residents against federal agents, such as strengthening the Welcoming City ordinance. More recently, City Council voted to establish “ICE free zones” on city property, and the city held a Community Preparedness & Empowerment Seminar.

“In short: ICE is not welcome in Evanston,” Mayor Daniel Biss wrote in an Oct. 17 email to residents.

Community members and leaders have also taken action through community workshops, protests and nonprofit work. Many have encouraged reporting ICE activity by calling the ICIRR hotline at 855-435-7693.

To see where ICE activity is occurring in Evanston, The Daily created an interactive map that is updated daily.

This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.

NOV. 7 — last updated 1:59 p.m.

ICIRR confirmed multiple people were taken by ICE and CBP agents in  Evanston, Skokie, Park Ridge, Wilmette and nearby areas, according to a text alert at 1:07 p.m. Border Patrol and ICE agents are still present in the area and are asking people for papers, according to the alert. 

In a Friday email to residents, Biss said there are multiple confirmed reports of federal immigration agents across the city. He added that he has read public reports that the FBI has opened an investigation into the federal immigration enforcement incident that took place at Asbury Avenue and Oakton Street on Oct. 31. 

“Though I have no specific information about the target of the federal investigation, recent conduct of federal law enforcement should give all of us cause for concern,” Biss wrote. 

Earlier Friday, ICE and CBP presence had been reported in several locations in the Evanston, Skokie and Niles area, according to an ICIRR alert at 11:12 a.m. Agents are targeting people working outside, according to the alert. 

Federal immigration agents were present on Thornwood Avenue in Wilmette around 10:52 a.m., according to a video sent to The Daily by a Wilmette business owner.

One person was reported taken by federal agents in the area earlier Friday morning, according to an ICIRR alert at 9:44 a.m. 

ICE and CBP presence, including DHS helicopters, was reported ongoing, near the intersections of Crawford Avenue and Dempster Street, Kenton Avenue and Grove Street, and the Home Depot in Niles, according to the 9:44 a.m. alert.

NOV. 5 — last updated 5:27 p.m.

At least three individuals have been reported taken by federal immigration agents across Evanston, Skokie and Lincolnwood, according to an ICIRR alert sent at 5:10 p.m. The incidents have occurred at Home Depots in the area and near the intersection of Karlov Avenue and Cleveland Street in Skokie, the alert read. 

ICE and U.S. Customs and Border Patrol agent presence in the area is ongoing, according to the report. 

Two individuals were reported taken by federal immigration agents at the Home Depot at Lincoln Avenue and McCormick Boulevard in Lincolnwood, according to an ICIRR alert at 2:46 p.m. 

Agents were also seen near the Home Depot on Oakton Street in Evanston and remain around the city, Skokie and Lincolnwood, the alert read. Agents are driving a Dodge Durango and Jeep Wagoneer.

Heavy ICE activity has been reported in Northbrook, Illinois, according to an ICIRR alert sent around 10:43 a.m. Agents broke into an apartment building near Lake Street and Milwaukee Avenue with guns drawn, the alert read. 

“Due to the extreme aggressiveness of ICE activity today, we are asking the community to be on alert and to understand your rights,” the alert said. 

Northbrook is located northwest of Evanston, near Glenview and Winnetka.

NOV. 4 — last updated 12:55 p.m.

ICE was spotted in Evanston at the Home Depot on Oakton Street around 11:40 a.m., according to an ICIRR alert sent at 12:18 p.m. The alert claimed agents may be targeting Instacart shoppers and are along McCormick Boulevard and Oakton Street. 

ICIRR also identified reports of one person abducted at a Lincolnwood Walmart and said ICE was active across Evanston, Skokie, Niles and Lincolnwood. The alert identified a GMC Denali, a Ford Expedition and a Jeep Wagoneer — all black — as ICE vehicles.

Federal immigration agents were spotted at around 10:30 a.m. at the corner of Central Park Avenue and Oakton Street in Skokie and are currently active in the area, according to an ICIRR alert at 10:58 a.m. Agents are in a gray Toyota van and a Ford Taurus with Texas license plates, the alert read. 

One person was detained, according to the alert. It added that Rapid Response teams are also investigating reports of ICE activity in Wilmette.

At around 8:00 a.m., federal immigration agents were reported near Church Street and East Prairie Road, according to an ICIRR alert at 8:51 a.m. The intersection is near the border of Evanston and Skokie. 

Agents remain in Evanston, the alert read. 

NOV. 3 — last updated 10:03 a.m.

ICE sightings have been reported throughout the Evanston and Skokie areas Monday, according to an ICIRR alert at 9:37 a.m.  ICIRR response teams are also tracking a helicopter over McCormick Boulevard and Church Street, the alert read. 

ICIRR also has a report of a “probable abduction” at the Home Depot on Dempster Street in Niles, according to the alert.

NOV. 1 — last updated 6:52 p.m.

About 250 community members gathered Saturday afternoon at the Dr. Jorge and Luz Maria Prieto Community Center for a vigil, just feet from the intersection of Asbury Avenue and Oakton Street where two or three people were detained by ICE on Friday, according to a statement from the Evanston Police Department. 

The event featured speeches from various faith leaders and public officials. In his speech, Rev. Michael Nabors of Evanston’s Second Baptist Church said that increased ICE and U.S. Border Patrol activity in the area on Friday justified an immediate response.

EPD has begun an investigation into what Biss called “horrendous crimes” inflicted upon community members by federal officers Friday. EPD officers also obtained the badge numbers of ICE agents at the intersection yesterday, marking what Biss called “the first step to accountability.”

Biss added that EPD was “exploring all options” and would announce a specific “course of action” by Monday.

U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) called Biss on Friday to ask how he could help after the widespread immigration enforcement on Halloween, Biss said. He emphasized that the community needs to raise awareness about federal agent activity in Evanston. 

“We have to tell them that in Evanston, when we hear a whistle, we jump into action to protect our neighbors,” Biss said. “We have to tell them — and I know this is not always popular to say — but we have to tell them the truth, which is that in Evanston, we are scared. But we also have to tell them that in Evanston, we do not give up.”

OCT. 31 — last updated Nov. 3 at 11:49 p.m.

In an emailed statement to The Daily, a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson confirmed that U.S. Border Patrol conducted immigration enforcement operations in Evanston and Skokie on Friday. The spokesperson said the operations culminated in the arrest of five Mexican immigrants lacking permanent status. They claimed the immigrants’ criminal histories included “criminal trespass and multiple illegal entries into the country.”

A 4:30 p.m. statement by the Evanston Police Department confirmed that two or three people were detained by federal immigration agents in a confrontation around 12:25 p.m. at the corner of Asbury Avenue and Oakton Street. EPD did not make any arrests, Cmdr. Ryan Glew wrote in the statement.

Evanston Fire Department paramedics treated individuals exposed to pepper spray at the scene, he added.

“Evanston Police officers worked to stabilize the scene and prevent further conflict between community members and federal agents,” Glew wrote.

Around 2:15 p.m., community leaders, elected officials and ICIRR organizers gathered outside Chute Middle School for a news conference addressing ICE activity in the city. Among the speakers were Biss, U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Evanston), Cook County Commissioner Josina Morita and Skokie Mayor Ann Tennes.

Demian Kogan, ICIRR’s senior director of organizing, called Friday’s events “disgusting” and “morally reprehensible.” He added that rather than being an isolated incident, federal immigration enforcement has become a “daily reality in Illinois.” 

“Today is supposed to be a day where families go out in the community, connect with their neighbors, connect with their neighbors, enjoy themselves and build relationships with one another,” Kogan said. “The message that ICE was trying to send in Evanston, in Skokie and Albany Park and in these other areas, is that they believe that they will not allow the residents of these areas to be able to live lives peacefully, regardless of where they come from or who they are.”

He added that the escalation on Friday was a response to the state legislature making key legislative advancements to curb the activity of immigration agents.

Evanston/Skokie School District 65 staff and Superintendent Angel Turner also spoke at the conference, addressing the implications of federal activity on students and families. Allie Harned, a social worker at Chute, said the district spent 10 months “preparing for the worst of the worst” and called the situation “worse than that.” 

“I’ve witnessed some horror today, a block away from Chute Middle School,” Harned said. 

Around noon, at least 10 federal immigration agents were present at Oakton Street and Asbury Avenue, multiple sources confirmed to The Daily. A car accident involving an agent’s vehicle occurred, after which agents pulled the driver out and detained them, Biss told The Daily. 

Evanston/Skokie School District 65 board member Andrew Wymer said he joined a “caravan” of around five cars following the Border Patrol vehicle about five minutes before the crash. About 20 people gathered in the immediate aftermath, with the crowd growing as the situation escalated, Wymer said. In the emailed statement, a DHS spokesperson said a vehicle crashed into a Border Patrol vehicle after “aggressive tailgating.”

Several protestors were at the scene and one protester was maced, multiple residents confirmed to The Daily. Federal immigration agents also punched people and sat on someone’s neck, Biss said. DHS confirmed the arrest of three U.S. citizens and said pepper spray was deployed against an individual who resisted arrest.

At 2:10 p.m., the Evanston Police Department said on X that the situation at Oakton Street and Ashbury Avenue was clear. EPD is responding to several reports of activity around the city, the post read. 

EPD was not able to get any information from the agents present, Biss said. EPD announced a new response policy to reported incidents of federal agent activity on Monday, including having a supervisor at every scene in an effort to obtain information about the team of agents conducting the enforcement activity. 

“These incidents are currently being reviewed and further information is forthcoming,” EPD wrote. 

Border Patrol Cmdr. Gregory Bovino was also in Evanston on Friday, Biss confirmed. 

In an email to residents Friday, the city confirmed that federal agents are present in several locations in and around Evanston.

Federal immigration agents were seen taking two people near Grant Street and Lincolnwood Drive at around 10:43 a.m. on Friday, according to a video sent to The Daily by an Evanston resident. Glew confirmed to The Daily that EPD was called to the area, but did not see any agents when they arrived. 

In an additional email later that day, the city advised families to exercise additional caution during Trick-or-Treating activities, which are scheduled to begin at 4 p.m.

“Please stay calm, stay alert and informed,” the first statement read. 

Biss took to X at 1:54 p.m. to decry the federal agents’ actions as “monstrous,” promising to continue to track the movement of federal agents and ensure appropriate responses from the Evanston Police Department.

“To Gregory Bovino, Kristi Noem, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and Customs and Border Protection: get the hell out of our city,” Biss wrote. 

All Evanston/Skokie School District 65 schools will have indoor recess today to ensure student and staff safety, Superintendent Angel Turner wrote in an email to parents at 11:55 a.m. Turner added that ICE has not yet come to any District 65 school. 

Federal immigration agents have been reported near multiple District 65 schools in recent weeks, and Turner wrote that the agents’ continued presence near schools has amplified uncertainty and anxiety.

“Our schools are and will remain safe and welcoming spaces for all, regardless of immigration status,” she wrote.

Evanston Township High School implemented a closed campus protocol at 11:45 a.m. due to “federal activity” reported in the area, Superintendent Marcus Campbell wrote in an email to parents. The email emphasized that there was no threat to the school community at the time, and federal authorities were not on school grounds.

All students must remain on campus for lunch and free blocks as part of the protocol, and dismissal will occur at its regularly scheduled time of 3:35 p.m., Campbell wrote. Students who do not feel comfortable leaving campus can report to ETHS’ South Cafeteria after dismissal, he added, and after-school activities will continue as scheduled.

In a follow-up email to families around 2:45 p.m., Campbell wrote that dismissal will take place as regularly scheduled at 3:35 p.m. The district is working with city officials and EPD to coordinate safety measures, the email said. He emphasized that no federal activity has occurred on campus.  

“If you are able to be a visible presence at dismissal today, we would appreciate it,” Campbell wrote to parents. “It will help support the sense of safety for all students.”

ICE and Border Patrol have a “large presence” in Evanston and Skokie, an ICIRR alert sent around 11 a.m. reported. Agents also have air support from helicopters over Crawford Avenue and Church Street in Skokie, according to the alert. 

Federal agents were present at Oakton Street and Sherman Avenue around 9:30 a.m., according to an ICIRR alert sent around 10:18 a.m. At least one person was taken, the alert read. 

At the time of the alert, ICIRR said agents were still in the Evanston area and were targeting landscapers and day laborers.

OCT. 29 — last updated 5:49 p.m.

Around 2:55 p.m., parents reported at least one federal agent present near Willard Elementary School. Immigration agents were not present on Willard school grounds, Evanston/Skokie School District 65 Communications Manager Hannah Dillow said. 

Evanston Police Department Cmdr. Ryan Glew said EPD’s unmarked Ford Explorers with police license plates were near Willard to ensure traffic safety. He added that the unmarked vehicles may have caused confusion as to whether they were federal immigration agents or local police.

Four immigration agents were also recorded near Park Place and Thayer Street around 3:30 p.m., according to a video sent to The Daily by two Willard parents. The streets are adjacent to Willard’s playground.

Starting around 10:30 a.m., federal agents were present in Morton Grove, Skokie and around the Evanston area, according to an ICIRR alert around 11:50 a.m. Agents detained landscapers in Skokie near Crawford Avenue and Golf Road. The agents in Skokie have detained and questioned landscapers throughout Wednesday morning and afternoon, according to an ICIRR alert around 1:23 p.m. 

Agents in Morton Grove also detained a landscaper across from Thomas Edison Elementary School, the 11:50 a.m. alert read. 

ICIRR Rapid Response teams are investigating further reports in the Morton Grove and Skokie areas. Helicopters from the Department of Homeland Security have also been spotted in Evanston on Wednesday and earlier in the week, according to the 11:50 a.m. report.

OCT. 25 — last updated 11:21 a.m.

Three people were taken by ICE in Des Plaines, a Chicago suburb west of Evanston, according to an ICIRR alert around 11:02 a.m. Agents were also confirmed in surrounding towns, the alert read. ICIRR advised residents to be vigilant, especially near Home Depot locations. 

OCT. 24 — last updated 12:24 p.m. 

ICE was confirmed to be at the Home Depot on Kimball Avenue in Chicago and the Menards on Oakton Street in Morton Grove, according to an ICIRR alert around noon. 

ICE and Customs and Border Protection agents were also present in northern Chicago suburbs Friday morning, the alert read. ICIRR advised residents to stay on the lookout for federal immigration enforcement, especially at hardware stores. 

“You have the right to film police activity, the right to remain silent, the right to speak to an attorney, and the right to refuse to sign anything,” the alert read.

OCT. 23 — last updated 10:00 a.m.

ICE agents were at the Home Depot in Evanston and “actively in the area,” according to an ICIRR alert around 9:48 a.m on Thursday. 

Agents were also present near Oakton Street and Kostner Avenue, near the border of Evanston and Skokie. The agents awerere driving a black Ford Explorer and a grey Traverse, the alert read.

OCT. 22 — last updated 10:13 p.m.

An entire landscaping team was detained by ICE agents near the intersection of Waukegan Road and Church Street in Morton Grove early Wednesday morning, according to an ICIRR alert sent out at around 11:18 a.m. 

In the Chicago suburb west of Evanston, agents were driving a blue Ford Sedan, black Jeep Grand Cherokee, a grey Ford Edge, a black Chevy Sedan and a blue Nissan SUV, the alert read.

In the alert, ICIRR advised residents to consider cancelling their landscaping services, but still pay for the services.  

Later Wednesday, the city announced a temporary moratorium on the enforcement of Evanston’s gas-powered leaf blower ordinance, effective through Dec. 31, in response to community concerns over the increased presence of federal agents. 

“The purpose of this moratorium on enforcement is to ensure the safety of landscapers and to mitigate confusion regarding ordinance violation reporting by community members,” the city’s website reads.

The leaf blower ordinance was adopted by the City Council in 2021, banning the use of gasoline or propane-powered leaf blowers after April 1, 2023.

Previously, violations of the ordinance with a signed witness statement and detailed description of the violation taking place were to be reported and penalized with first a written warning and then increasing fines. This will not be enforced under the moratorium.

OCT. 21 — last updated 9:45 a.m.

At least four ICE agents were reported in Evanston on Tuesday morning, according to an ICIRR alert around 9:30 a.m.  At least one person was detained, the alert read.

The agents were seen parked in the Home Depot parking lot and Salvation Army near south Oakton Street and Dawes Elementary School. They are wearing tan vests and driving a black Chevy SUV and a black Kia Carnival, according to the alert.

Agents were also spotted at the Home Depot in Lincolnwood, the alert read.

This follows an uptick in immigration enforcement throughout the city.

On Oct. 17, federal agents detained one person at an Oakton Street Home Depot around 10:35 a.m., according to an ICIRR text alert sent that day. The alert stated agents were seen driving a black Chevy SUV.

At least one person in Evanston was taken by federal immigration agents the morning of Oct.16, Biss wrote in an X post the same day.

An ICIRR text alert sent earlier that day said federal agents were spotted at Dodge Avenue and Oakton Street — adjacent to Dawes Elementary School — around 8:50 a.m. Agents were seen driving a black Chevy and a silver Hyundai Elantra, the alert read.

Residents previously saw ICE agents in the area by the Home Depot on Oakton Street on Oct. 12, causing American Youth Soccer Organization Evanston coaches to cancel its games at James Park across the street. In an X post the same day, Biss confirmed ICE took multiple community members.

The Department of Homeland Security also arrested an individual in Evanston near the intersection of Church Street and Brown Avenue on Sept. 10, according to a city statement later that week. The agents are not confirmed to be ICE agents, Evanston Police Department Cmdr. Scott Sophier said, but ICE is housed in DHS.

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