Democratic Rep. Jesús “Chuy” Garcia of Illinois ignited a firestorm of debate Thursday evening, condemning Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for arresting a man near a Chicago charter school—later identified as a twice-deported gang member with a string of criminal convictions.
The arrest, which Garcia branded an “ambush” in a social media post, has drawn sharp rebukes from ICE and fueled tensions over the Trump administration’s aggressive immigration crackdown.
Garcia’s criticism stemmed from an incident Wednesday morning outside an Acero charter school on Chicago’s Southwest Side, where ICE apprehended Francisco Andrade-Berrera, 37, as he dropped off two students.
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In a statement on X, Garcia decried the operation: “In my district, ICE ambushed a parent while dropping off their child at school. No family should have to fear being torn apart in a safe place meant for learning.” He touted the Protecting Sensitive Locations Act, co-sponsored with Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D-N.Y.), which would bar ICE from conducting arrests at schools, hospitals, and places of worship. “Congress must act now,” he urged.
But ICE swiftly countered Garcia’s narrative, revealing that Andrade-Berrera, a Mexican national, was no ordinary parent.
“ICE Chicago arrested Francisco Andrade-Berrera, 37, a citizen of Mexico, Feb. 26 without incident,” an agency spokesperson said. “Andrade is a known member of a violent street gang with criminal convictions for drug trafficking, gang loitering, and damage to property who was previously removed from the U.S. to his home country in 2005 and 2013.”
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How he re-entered the U.S. after his second deportation remains unclear, and his current immigration status wasn’t specified.
The agency defended its actions, noting that ICE supervisors weigh discretion in operations near schools but prioritize “criminal migrants and public safety threats.”
The arrest aligns with a January directive from the Department of Homeland Security under President Donald Trump, lifting Obama-era restrictions on enforcement at “sensitive locations” and granting agents broader latitude to pursue targets like Andrade-Berrera.
Garcia’s stance drew support from Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) President Stacy Davis Gates, who labeled the arrest “an act of terror.”
In a fiery statement Thursday, Gates declared, “Targeting a father as he tries to provide an education to his children at their place of learning is a deliberate act of terror on behalf of this government.” She vowed union action alongside Acero parents to “denounce the targeting of anyone in our school communities” and demand accountability from local and federal leaders.
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The incident underscores a broader clash as Trump’s administration ramps up deportations, arresting over 20,000 illegal migrants in its first month—dwarfing the Biden administration’s pace—per DHS figures. Trump, who has pledged the largest deportation operation in U.S. history, has issued executive orders to tighten immigration enforcement, reversing years of sanctuary policies that critics say shielded criminals.
Andrade-Berrera’s case has become a flashpoint, pitting Garcia’s call for protected zones against ICE’s focus on public safety.
For now, the Protecting Sensitive Locations Act remains stalled in Congress, and ICE shows no signs of backing off.
As Chicago grapples with its sanctuary city status, the debate over where and how to enforce immigration law promises to intensify, with Andrade-Berrera’s arrest serving as a stark test of competing visions for America’s borders.
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