Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has taken custody of a Venezuelan national who has been detained 16 times since arriving in Chicago in late 2023, according to authorities.
According to the Gateway Pundit, new federal enforcement orders have led to the deportation of Josue Vargas Rodriguez, who entered the country unlawfully and was initially detained in October 2023.
Rodriguez’s brief string of arrests brought to light what detractors have described as persistent shortcomings in both municipal and
Federal immigration enforcement before President Donald Trump reinstated more stringent border controls.
Rodriguez had been arrested 13 times by February 2025, according to CWB Chicago’s initial report. This led to a guilty plea in a case involving an attempted robbery of a woman in the Streeterville neighborhood.
A Cook County judge at the time put him on probation and warned that if he committed any more crimes, he may be deported.
Three weeks later, on February 27, Rodriguez was detained once more for misdemeanor assault in the Loop area, despite the warning.
He was detained again on April 4 on felony narcotics charges in the 200 block of North Wells, and again on April 7 for jumping a turnstile at a CTA station, according to Chicago Police Department records.
For illegal immigrants accused of major offenses such as stealing, breaking and entering, attacking law officers, and crimes that cause significant harm or death, the law requires federal imprisonment.
Rodriguez was regularly released from detention before to trial, including following drug-related events, attempted robberies, and assaults, according to CPD records.
According to federal immigration law, Rodriguez is currently being detained and will be subject to deportation procedures, ICE announced this week.Rodriguez’s history of arrests has rekindled discussion about Chicago’s sanctuary city regulations, which detractors claim permitted repeat felons to stay in the neighborhood.
Although they have verified that deportation procedures are in progress, federal authorities have not said when Rodriguez would be removed.
Rodriguez is being detained in federal custody while ICE and immigration courts take additional action.
