Trump Administration Again Blocks Oversight Visit to Illinois ICE Facility

By: IndoUS Tribune Staff

Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08) has intensified his calls for accountability across multiple fronts — from immigration enforcement abuses to health care policy failures — as tensions rise over the Trump Administration’s ongoing government shutdown and deep federal cuts.

ICE Brutality and Oversight Denied

Krishnamoorthi has demanded immediate transparency from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after a disturbing video surfaced showing ICE agents violently detaining individuals in Hoffman Estates, including what appeared to be a child being slammed to the ground.

The Illinois Congressman confirmed that the footage, which circulated widely over the weekend, was filmed within his district. Calling the incident “indefensible,” Krishnamoorthi condemned what he described as “a campaign of secrecy, brutality, and misinformation” under the Trump Administration’s immigration enforcement operations.

“My team and I continue to gather information about the exact details of what happened in Hoffman Estates on Friday — but there is no doubt that the video is real and that it happened here, in my district, on a street I have walked myself,” Krishnamoorthi said. “What that footage appears to show — a child being slammed to the ground by an ICE agent — is indefensible.”

The Hoffman Estates Police Department has confirmed ICE’s presence that day but has not released full details. Instead, Krishnamoorthi said, senior DHS officials spread false claims online suggesting the footage was “old and unrelated.”

“This continues a disturbing pattern of ICE and DHS denying the public transparency or accountability while spreading politically motivated disinformation,” Krishnamoorthi said. “The events in Hoffman Estates embody everything that’s wrong with militarized ICE raids — cruelty without accountability, secrecy without oversight, and power without restraint. That must end.”

Hours after the incident, Krishnamoorthi was denied entry to the Broadview ICE facility, marking the second time this year he has been blocked from lawful congressional oversight.
“I demanded access to perform oversight — as is my right and my duty,” Krishnamoorthi stated. “Once again, the Trump Administration slammed the door on transparency. Congress and the American people have every right to see what’s happening behind those walls.”

In June, both Krishnamoorthi and Congressman Jonathan Jackson were also turned away from a Chicago ICE site during an inspection attempt — a move the Congressman says reflects “systematic obstruction of congressional oversight” amid Operation Midway Blitz, the Administration’s mass-deportation campaign targeting Democratic-led cities.

Krishnamoorthi Presses DHS Secretary Over Suspension of Oversight and Mistreatment of Journalists

Amid the shutdown, Krishnamoorthi sent two formal letters to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, demanding accountability for furloughing the Office of Detention Oversight (ODO) — the department’s key safeguard against abuse in immigration detention centers — even as enforcement operations continued at full strength.

“ODO’s inspectors ensure facilities meet federal health, safety, and humane treatment standards,” Krishnamoorthi wrote. “Suspending this oversight while enforcement continues uninterrupted is indefensible and a profound failure of priorities.”

The Congressman also condemned reports that journalists were attacked and detained while covering immigration operations at the Broadview ICE Processing Center, including incidents involving pepper balls, tear gas, and arrests.

Citing lawsuits such as Chicago Headline Club v. Noem, Krishnamoorthi described federal agents “masked and operating in combat gear,” using rubber bullets, flash grenades, and tear gas against clearly identified members of the press. He urged DHS to release all internal policies governing press interactions and to adopt an arrest-avoidance policy for journalists, stating:

“Oversight and transparency are not optional; they are essential for maintaining public trust in the U.S. government.”

Krishnamoorthi further called for visible identification for all responding agents and meetings with press-freedom groups to develop lawful, transparent media protocols.

Krishnamoorthi Warns CMS Over Health Plan Changes and Rising Premiums

In a separate letter, Krishnamoorthi — Ranking Member of the House Oversight Subcommittee on Health Care and Financial Services — urged Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz to abandon plans to expand “catastrophic” health plan eligibility and instead support extending Affordable Care Act (ACA) enhanced premium tax credits before their expiration on January 1, 2026.

“These credits have allowed more Americans than ever to access affordable care,” Krishnamoorthi said. “If they expire, premiums will rise by an average of 75 percent nationwide, pushing millions off their insurance plans.”

He cited new projections showing that a family of four making $80,375 could see their net premium jump from $169 to $919 if the credits lapse. “Catastrophic health plans are not a substitute for quality coverage,” he added, noting that such plans can carry deductibles of nearly $10,000.

During his visits to Loretto Hospital in Chicago and River Bluff Nursing Home in Rockford, Krishnamoorthi heard firsthand how Trump Administration healthcare cuts — enacted under the so-called One Big Beautiful Bill Act — are straining local hospitals. At Loretto, where 83% of patients rely on Medicaid, administrators warned of jeopardized mental health and maternal care services, while River Bluff staff feared bed closures and longer waitlists.

The Congressman concluded:

“Instead of propping up catastrophic plans that will be catastrophic for Americans’ wallets, CMS must support extending the ACA tax credits. Families, farmers, and small businesses depend on them.”

Call for Accountability and Justice

Krishnamoorthi’s multi-front demands — spanning immigration, civil liberties, and healthcare — underscore his broader message: that transparency and compassion must guide government policy, not secrecy or indifference.

“We cannot allow government agencies to operate in the shadows — especially when human lives, press freedom, and health care access are at stake,” he said. “Our democracy demands transparency, justice, and service to the people.”

IndoUS Tribune will continue to follow developments in these ongoing investigations and policy battles, as Congressman Krishnamoorthi presses federal agencies for oversight, accountability, and protection of fundamental rights.