'I am a US citizen': ICE agents mistake man for fugitive, leave him injured in Chicago suburb

A US citizen was injured during a confrontation with immigration enforcement agents in a Chicago suburb after they allegedly mistook him for a fugitive, according to local police and a witness.The man was found on the ground in Evanston, Illinois, on Sunday morning after police received reports of an altercation around 9:49 am. He told officers that he had suffered injuries to his head, neck and teeth and was taken to a hospital by ambulance, Evanston Police Department said.According to police, a federal agent told responding officers that five agents in separate vehicles were searching for a fugitive who had a Chicago address and an arrest warrant. The agents mistakenly identified the Evanston resident as the person they were looking for, the officer said.The man refused to provide identification, after which the agents attempted to handcuff him, police said. They later realised he was a US citizen and not the fugitive they were seeking, and released him.A police officer who arrived at the scene noticed blood on one of the agent's hands. The agent told police he had been injured while trying to handcuff the man. The agents then left the area, saying they feared protesters who had gathered nearby could attack them, according to the police statement.A witness, Ryan Garton, told The Associated Press that he saw agents pinning the Black man to the ground and stopped to record the incident. Garton said one agent had his knee on the man's back and that the man repeatedly said he was a US citizen.Garton said he saw bloodstains on the man's shirt after the agent moved away. He also described swelling around the man's right eye and temple and scrapes on his face.CNN reported that a witness-recorded cellphone video captured the man saying, “I’m a US citizen.”The Department of Homeland Security said ICE agents conducting a targeted enforcement operation had encountered an individual who resembled their target."The individual was given lawful commands but was not cooperative and refused to identify himself," a DHS spokesperson said. The agency said officers left the scene after the man identified himself and that he refused assistance offered by ICE.Evanston police said they are investigating the incident, preserving available body-camera footage and interviewing witnesses. Officers have also visited the man at the hospital and photographed his injuries.The incident has drawn criticism from Illinois officials amid rising scrutiny of federal immigration enforcement operations.Illinois Rep Jan Schakowsky said she was "disgusted and outraged" by reports of the incident in her hometown of Evanston.Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss said the man was treated at St Francis Hospital for minor injuries. He said the police department was continuing to investigate the incident and would remain vigilant about federal activities.The encounter comes amid a broader immigration crackdown under President Donald Trump, with ICE reporting a record number of arrests in August. According to news agency AP, several people, including migrants and US citizens, have died in encounters involving immigration agents during Trump's second term.You use AI every day. Now get your AI Quotient. Take the AIQ test.