Evanston’s Response to Federal Agents' Actions

The City of Evanston will take the following steps in response to federal activity in our community:

• The City will respond to reports of incidents involving individuals claiming to be federal agents just as it would respond to any other incident report.

• An Evanston Police Department supervisor will respond to any reported incidents involving federal agents. Upon arrival, the supervisor will conduct an initial investigation, which may involve interviewing witnesses and collecting video. 

• If federal agents are still present at the scene, the police supervisor will attempt to meet with the agent in charge to obtain basic information about the arrest team, including asking masked or unidentified individuals to identify themselves and their agency.

• The responding supervisor will document the investigation in a report. The Chief of Police will review incidents and take necessary action, which may involve coordinating with the Illinois Accountability Commission. 

• If federal agents use City property in violation of the Welcoming City Ordinance and the ICE-Free Zones Resolution, the City will investigate the violation and, if necessary, seek a court order requiring the federal agents to vacate the property. 

• The City will partner with state and local agencies—including the Secretary of State, the Illinois Accountability Commission, and the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office—to report and record violations of state and local laws.

Individuals affected by federal activity in Evanston also have the following resources:

• The City’s website includes links to family preparedness resources, printable Know Your Rights cards in six languages, and ICE-free zone signs for private businesses and other organizations. 

• If you have been arrested by federal immigration agents without a warrant, you may be entitled to protection under the federal Castañon Nava consent decree. You can contact the National Immigrant Justice Center or the ICIRR Family Support Hotline at 855-435-7693 to see if you are eligible for relief.

• If you see federal agents swapping vehicle license plates, tampering with plates, or driving without plates, you can report it to the Secretary of State’s Plate Watch Hotline at 312-814-1730 or platewatch@ilsos.gov.

• The Illinois Accountability Commission is building a public record of the conduct of federal agents during “Operation Midway Blitz” and the Trump Administration’s military-style operations throughout the Chicagoland area, in order to document harm to individuals and communities and to recommend accountability measures to prevent future harm. The Commission will gather information from individuals, community members, subject-matter experts, local officials, journalists, faith leaders, and organizations.

Please contact the City if you see what may be unlawful activity: for emergencies, please dial 9-1-1. For non-emergencies, please contact the Police Service Desk at 847-866-5000. If you have questions, please call or text 3-1-1 (847-448-4311).