Copyright Chicago Tribune
Federal immigration agents detained two Aurora protesters who confronted them outside an elementary school Saturday, sparking allegations of unnecessary force. Aurora Mayor John Laesch condemned the detentions as part of an “unprecedented period of American history where people’s constitutional rights are being violated” as President Donald Trump’s administration continues its deportation arrest onslaught across the Chicago area. Laesch recalled swearing an oath to defend the country’s supreme law. “It’s hard to do that when your federal government is effectively waging war on your state,” Laesch told the Tribune on Sunday. The two detainees later released by federal authorities — 35-year-old Ruben Morales Jr., of Yorkville, and 38-year-old Jessi Olazaba, of Aurora — had seen alerts about suspicious vehicles parked at Allen Elementary School and responded to the school, they told the Tribune on Sunday. Department of Homeland Security officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment about the incident. When Morales came across a white SUV with out-of-state plates parked in a staff lot, he motioned for the driver to roll down the car’s windows, he said. Someone in the back seat rolled down their own window and poked out an unknown object, yelling, “Get the (expletive) back,” he added. Morales, an American citizen who works for a ride-share company, said he often checks out or posts online alerts about local immigration enforcement activities as a service to the community. He recounted that he threw his hands up in the air and turned around to get away while yelling, “Help.” The masked agents pepper-sprayed him from behind, chased him and tackled him to the ground, he said. “They said ‘Get away,’ and I was trying to get away,” he said. Morales said the men handcuffed him and threw him inside the car. The men were in civilian clothing, and their badges were not immediately visible, though an agent showed Morales a badge after he was handcuffed, he recalled. He said he asked the agents for medical attention and was denied. “I’m beat up. I’m in pain,” he said. “My knee is all busted.” Olazaba said she filmed and called police during the confrontation before an agent pepper-sprayed her. Another agent pushed her as she photographed the car’s plates, causing her to fall and hit her head, she said. Both Morales and Olazaba said they were brought to the FBI’s Chicago office. There, Morales said he encountered a male FBI agent and mouthed the words “Help me” to him. Morales said another FBI official asked the federal immigration agents to give the FBI their body cameras. “The (federal immigration agents) looked at each other and said ‘Oh, we don’t have body cameras,’” Morales recalled. A Chicago federal judge has required all federal immigration agents to wear and turn on body cameras in the field, part of a restraining order in response to recent tear-gassing and rough treatment of protesters and media during the Trump administration’s local immigration crackdown, dubbed Operation Midway Blitz. Morales said he answered all of the FBI’s questions, and they called an ambulance when he requested medical care. Morales said the federal agents went inside the ambulance and told paramedics they were not allowed to let Morales use any means to contact friends or family, nor were the paramedics allowed to contact any of his loved ones. “The paramedics, they were basically like, ‘That’s not protocol. Why are you telling us that?’” Morales recounted. “I was doing nothing wrong. I did nothing wrong whatsoever.” Morales said he was released by the FBI and was not issued a citation or charged with a crime in the incident. He was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital and was later discharged. Morales said his legs, back and jaw still hurt, and he was scraped up during the scuffle. “I’m scared. I’m still scared, you know what I mean?” he said. “If this could happen to me, an American citizen, imagine what’s going on with people … that aren’t citizens? I can only imagine.” Olazaba said the federal authorities issued her a citation for impeding arrest. She has a January court date, she said. The FBI declined to respond to Tribune questions about the incident. “In order to protect the integrity of all investigations, the FBI does not comment on the status or existence of any potential investigative matter, including specific details about possible subjects of pending investigations or their custody status,” the agency said in an email. “The FBI’s mission is to protect the American people and uphold the U.S. Constitution, which includes active support towards the enforcement of immigration laws passed by Congress. We respectfully refer you to the Department of Homeland Security for any comment on immigration matters.” Laesch said he was among the people at the hospital Saturday waiting for Olazaba to be released. That crowd grew to around 30 as a Department of Homeland Security helicopter hovered overhead, he said. The Aurora mayor said his administration was looking into video of the incident. He credited Aurora police for keeping distance between agents and protesters in “a challenging and tense situation for everybody.” Some families are keeping children home from school amid the arrests, while business owners have told him sales revenue is down 35% in the city that’s almost half Latino, he said. “When ICE goes to a school, parents become afraid of sending their kids to school. Well, then they’re not learning, then academic performance suffers. When people don’t feel safe going to work, the economy starts to suffer,” he said. State Rep. Barbara Hernandez told the Tribune she saw Aurora police clearing traffic amid the chaos at the hospital. She arrived just before agents sped away, she added. “We didn’t get to see much, we just know all of sudden they just got in their cars and left,” she said.
