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It’s Monday. If you stayed up too late watching the Super Bowl, start your day on the right foot with these stories from WTTW News.
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Federal agents raided this apartment building in Chicago’s South Shore neighborhood, claiming it was occupied by the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua. (Jim Vondruska for ProPublica)
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This story was originally published by ProPublica.
For months, the Trump administration has justified its dramatic midnight raid on a Chicago apartment complex by saying that it had intelligence that the violent Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua had taken over the building. But officials have provided no evidence to back up the claim.
Now, new documents confirm in the government’s own words that what prompted the raid was more pedestrian: allegations that immigrants were squatting in the complex. And the landlord had given federal officials, who were already targeting immigrants in Chicago, the blessing to search the building.
Arrest records for two of the 37 immigrants detained that September night, included in a motion filed Tuesday that’s tied to an ongoing federal consent decree, provide the clearest picture yet of what led to the controversial and aggressive operation, in which agents descended from a Blackhawk helicopter, broke down doors and zip-tied U.S. citizens and immigrants.
More context:
The records reveal that agents entered and searched the complex with the “owner/manager’s verbal and written consent.” Agents wrote that they launched the operation “based on intelligence that there were illegal aliens unlawfully occupying apartments.” They said they focused their search on units “that were not legally rented or leased at the time.” That narrative appears word for word in both arrest reports — for a Venezuelan man and a Mexican man.
“It was a brutal lie against the American public,” said Mark Fleming, an attorney with the National Immigrant Justice Center and co-counsel in a lawsuit against the government that led to the consent decree. “This was really about immigrants purportedly occupying apartments unlawfully, which is radically different than the story they told.”
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security makes no mention in the records of Tren de Aragua, even though officials repeatedly cited the gang’s presence in the building as the motivation for the raid. Agents paraded immigrants in front of cameras and called their arrests a victory against terrorism. The government also claimed two of those arrested were gang members but never provided any proof.
ProPublica previously reported, based on interviews and records, that there was little evidence to back up the government’s claims. Even today, four months after the raid, federal prosecutors have not filed criminal charges against anyone who was arrested.
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Ben and Sam Luhmann appear on “Chicago Tonight” on Feb. 4, 2026. (WTTW News)
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As the Trump administration’s aggressive immigration crackdown has swept across the U.S., countless people have been documenting federal agents’ actions, warning neighbors of their whereabouts with whistles and car horns, and uploading videos of encounters to social media.
Two people who have been on the front lines are Ben and Sam Luhmann, a pair of homeschooled teenage brothers from the Chicago area.
They kicked off their work as so-called ICE watchers when “Operation Midway Blitz” began in the Chicago region back in September, and most recently were on the ground in Minnesota documenting immigration enforcement actions in the Twin Cities.
The brothers joined “Chicago Tonight” to talk about their work.
On how they got started:
“My mom came in our room, turned my fan off, woke me up and said, ‘Hey, our family friend has been tracking ICE now for two weeks in Chicago, and he just called and said that they are five minutes from our house and they’re arresting somebody,’” said Ben Luhmann, 17.
Upon hearing the news, they drove to the site to see the aftermath of a raid on an apartment complex, which resulted in the detainment of around 15 people. “A bunch of protesters were still there, so we got connected to groups in the area,” Ben Luhmann said. “… Seeing how it’s impacted people has just further shown why we should be doing this.”
On their parents’ reaction:
“Our parents are on the same page completely,” Sam Luhmann said. “It’s been a mix of reactions from other people with how they view it, but I think a lot of people are very supportive and positive.”
The brothers have six younger siblings — many of whom have participated in protests. They attribute their passion for social justice to being raised to “love your neighbor as you love yourself.”
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"Mister Rogers' Neighborhood." (QED, Small World Enterprises, Family Communications)
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On Sunday during Super Bowl LX, a beloved song that once welcomed children to the neighborhood got a pop music transformation. Lady Gaga released a full version of her cover of “Won’t You Be My Neighbor,” the opening song of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood. But where did the song come from, and why has it endured for decades?
Each episode of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, which aired on PBS from 1968 to 2001, began the same way: Fred Rogers entered through the door, swapped his jacket for his famous red cardigan, and switched into more comfortable shoes, all the while singing, “It’s a beautiful day in this neighborhood, a beautiful day for a neighbor. Would you be mine? Could you be mine?”
The song’s music and lyrics came from the mind of Fred Rogers himself. Before attending Pittsburgh Theological Seminary and becoming a Presbyterian minister, Rogers received a bachelor’s degree in music from Rollins College. While Rogers gave the song its shape, it was his longtime collaborator and the man behind the song’s arrangement, Johnny Costa, who imbued it with much of its musical spirit.
“Children have ears, and they’re people, and they can hear good music as well as anybody else,” Costa once said. “So I started right from the beginning playing for them as I would for any adults.”
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More From WTTW News:
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Back in the Day: February 9, 1991 - Bulls’ Craig Hodges Breaks All-Star Record With 19 Consecutive Threes
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Craig Hodges, a native of Park Forest, was an excellent shooter who served as the Chicago Bulls' three-point shot specialist during the early '90s. Next to Larry Bird, he's the only basketball player to win three consecutive Three-Point Contests at the NBA All-Star Game (1990, 1991 and 1992). His most impressive victory came on this day 35 years ago, when he set an NBA record by sinking 19 consecutive threes during the second round of the 1991 event. That record still stands, and only Stephen Curry’s 13 consecutive threes in 2015 rank a distant second. Hodges was known just as much for his accuracy behind the arc as his activism for social and racial justice causes. His life and
career are summed up by his moving and compelling autobiography "Long Shot: The Triumphs and Struggles of an NBA Freedom Fighter."
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This Week’s Civic Events and Meetings
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Every Monday, WTTW News highlights the best ways to get involved with local government.
City Council's Committee on Housing and Real Estate
On Wednesday at 12:30 p.m., the City Council's Committee on Housing and Real Estate will hold a subject matter hearing about the proposed Illinois Constitutional Amendment that looks to add a 3% surcharge on income over $1 million to help fund property tax relief and education. For more details, click here.
WTTW: "FIRSTHAND: DEMOCRACY" – A Live Studio Discussion
On Feb.16, be in the live studio audience for a kickoff broadcast and stream event for WTTW’s “FIRSTHAND: DEMOCRACY.” We’ll preview the documentaries, hold a panel discussion about democracy in Chicago and Illinois, and field questions from local residents. Brandis Friedman, the Alexandra and John Nichols Chief Correspondent and Anchor for “Chicago Tonight,” will host this live studio audience event. It’s free, but space is limited. RSVP here.
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What's your ideal date night in Chicago?
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Email DailyChicagoan@wttw.com with your responses and your answers might be published.
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5:30 PM | 10:00 PM
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Want more WTTW News content? Follow WTTW on Instagram to check in with us daily, go behind-the-scenes, and more.
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Newsletter Producer: Josh Terry
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