16-year-old detained by ICE after traffic stop, transferred to Texas despite family custody request
Jun 10, 2026·Location: Collinsville, IL
Jesus Alexis Cruz, 16, was detained by ICE following a traffic stop in Morrisonville, Illinois on June 9, 2026. Local police towed his vehicle, and ICE agents subsequently picked him up at a nearby gas station. Cruz's family, which includes documented relatives, requested his release to their custody, but ICE denied the request. He was transferred to a juvenile detention facility in Texas without family involvement in the transport. Representative Nikki Budzinski's office became involved to seek answers regarding his detention and transfer.
Timeline
Sources
- Collinsville teens ‘kidnapped’ by ICE while on the way to work in central Illinois
stlpr.org·Jun 10, 2026·archived copy
- Small-town Illinois traffic stop scrutinized after ICE detains teens
thetelegraph.com·Jun 11, 2026·archived copy
- 3 Collinsville teens detained by ICE, Nikki Budzinski says
thetelegraph.com·Jun 10, 2026·archived copy
- Three Illinois teens arrested by ICE | Illinois Public Media
will.illinois.edu·Jun 15, 2026·archived copy
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