Immigration Archives

A man with flowy red-brown harid and a brown beard poses for a portrait outside the ICE detention center in Broadview. He's looking off to the right and the light is reflecting off his face.

Why is the Cook County State’s Attorney prosecuting nonviolent ICE protesters?

A Block Club Chicago investigation found dozens of protesters arrested by state police are still facing criminal charges for minor infractions, such as sitting on a concrete barrier — even after Gov. JB Pritzker vowed to protect their First Amendment rights.

by Mina Bloom, Block Club Chicago March 5, 2026March 5, 2026

A woman with long dark hair holds an infant and kisses his cheek. Valentina and her infant son were detained by ICE and held at a hotel for five days.

Immigration

ICE contractor locked an immigrant and her baby at an O’Hare hotel for five days

Valentina Galvis’ detention at a hotel raises questions about the types of facilities being turned into de facto detention centers as the Trump administration ramps up immigration detention.

by Aura Bogado August 7, 2025August 8, 2025

An illustration of a group of people standing in front of a maze. A giant set of scales is toppled over at its center.

Immigration

Chicago immigration court: A guide to removal hearings

Are attorneys free? What happens if you miss a court hearing? We spoke with legal experts to answer common questions.

by Kelly Garcia March 27, 2025January 16, 2026

Immigration

La corte de inmigración en Chicago: Una guía para las audiencias de deportación

Son gratuitos los abogados? ¿Qué sucede si falto asistir a mi audiencia judicial? Respuestas a preguntas comunes.

by Kelly Garcia March 27, 2025August 8, 2025

Immigration

Life in legal limbo: navigating Chicago’s immigration court alone

Fighting for a chance to stay, many immigrants wade alone through backlogs and attorney shortages that plague the immigration court system.

by Stephen Franklin, Borderless Magazine and Katrina Pham, Borderless Magazine May 15, 2024May 15, 2024

A pink-and-blue hued sketch of a young woman in duplicate. On the left side she's smiling, on the right side she has a sad expression.

U Visa Denials

El DCFS de Illinois impide que personas indocumentadas sobrevivientes de abuso infantil soliciten estatus legal, según muestran los registros

Durante años, el DCFS se ha negado a emitir certificaciones de visa U a sobrevivientes de abuso infantil, a pesar de una ley estatal que exige que la agencia decida si las víctimas califican para una enlos 90 días hábiles posteriores a la solicitud.

by Carlos Ballesteros February 27, 2023January 30, 2024

U Visa Denials

Illinois DCFS blocks undocumented survivors of child abuse from applying for legal status, records show

For years, the child-welfare agency has refused to issue U visa certifications to survivors of child abuse, despite a state law mandating DCFS decide whether victims qualify for one within 90 business days of applying.

by Carlos Ballesteros February 23, 2023January 8, 2024

Illustration of two police officers placing U visa applications in a pile labeled “denied.”

U Visa Denials

Chicago police denied scores of undocumented crime victims a path to citizenship

Immigrants seeking a U visa are being blocked by two sergeants who were previously involved in controversial shootings and on the verge of being fired, raising questions about CPD’s commitment to the U visa program.

by Carlos Ballesteros December 8, 2022August 8, 2024

People stand in front of a courthouse with paper chains and signs that read "Communities not cages."

Immigration

Lawsuit: Indiana jail neglects immigrants while using ICE funds as ‘cash cow’

A lawsuit alleges that detained immigrants are being held in inhumane conditions, while Clay County misuses the money it receives from ICE to house detainees.

by Chelsea Verstegen June 10, 2022February 2, 2024

An elderly man with one amputated leg wheels himself on a wheelchair past a dining room table.

Aging in the Shadows

Expertos latinos de Chicago analizarán en un panel la serie ‘Envejecer en las sombras’

El miércoles al mediodía, acompaña a Laura Rodríguez y a Carlos Ballesteros para una conversación en vivo y español por Facebook, junto con un panel de expertos que ayudarán a diseccionar la serie, su significado y su efecto potencial.

by Laura Rodríguez Presa (Chicago Tribune) April 25, 2022January 30, 2024

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