Latest Breaking News

A federal judge ordered the release of more than 600 people arrested as part of the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown in Illinois, according to CNN affiliate WLS, dealing a blow to federal efforts to detain and deport as many undocumented people as possible.

US District Judge Jeffrey Cummings on Wednesday morning sided with attorneys from the National Immigration Justice Center and the ACLU. The plaintiffs alleged more than 3,000 people were arrested between June and October in “Operation Midway Blitz.”

Now, 615 of those arrested must be granted bond by noon on November 21.

“They’re all being awarded bond for 615, but how is that process going to happen?” said Mark Fleming, an attorney with the National Immigrant Justice Center, at a news conference Wednesday. He noted the people set to be released “are probably all over the country” and need to be located, Fleming told CNN.

Fleming, who led the lawsuit alleging federal agents violated a 2022 settlement agreement over warrantless arrests in the Chicago area, said the organization believes at least 1,100 of the 3,000 arrested individuals have voluntarily left the country, saying they “gave up” fighting their cases.