U.S. citizen injured after immigration officers mistakenly try to arrest him in Evanston
Sep 21, 2026·Location: Evanston, IL

In Evanston, Illinois, federal immigration agents believed to be from ICE attempted to detain an adult resident near Howard Street and Dodge Avenue during what they described as a fugitive investigation, mistaking him for someone else. According to police, the man refused to provide identification, was held for fingerprinting, and resisted, and he was later found on the ground with injuries to his head, neck and teeth; an ambulance took him to St. Francis Hospital, where police photographed and documented his injuries. A witness, Miguel Angel Olivares, recorded the encounter and said agents used 'very rough force' on him. An agent told police he was injured while trying to handcuff the man and had blood on his hands. Agents determined the man was not the person they were seeking and that he was a U.S. citizen, and released him; Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss confirmed he was 'briefly detained and then released.' Evanston's police chief later met with the man at the hospital to offer community resources, and the incident is under investigation by Evanston police, Illinois authorities, and the FBI. Local activists raised concerns about mistaken identity and treatment of Latino residents in the area.
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