Ignorance of the law is no excuse
Friday, Sep 19, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Coming a bit late to this because the draft post somehow got lost in the shuffle. Fox 32…
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers arrested a convicted murderer and gang member in Chicago’s southwest suburbs this week, days after Illinois prison officials released him under the state’s sanctuary policies, according to ICE.
ICE said its officers arrested Aldo Salazar Bahena, 37, on Monday in northwest suburban Elgin, as part of Operation Midway Blitz, an enforcement effort targeting undocumented immigrants with criminal records in the Chicago area.
Salazar, a member of the Larazo street gang, was convicted in 2007 of beating 21-year-old Fernando Diaz Jr. to death in 2005. He served nearly two decades at Stateville Correctional Center in Crest Hill before being released on Friday.
Prison officials declined to honor a federal immigration detainer, ICE said, allowing Salazar to walk free for three days before agents located him.
Man, that’s just shoddy reporting. He wasn’t released “under the state’s sanctuary policies.” He completed his sentence.
Also, according to ICE itself, an immigration detainer is a “request from ICE that asks” federal, state and local governments to do things like hold an inmate before release.
* Since Fox 32 basically just rewrote the ICE press release and didn’t ask anyone outside of law enforcement for comment, I reached out to the Pritzker administration…
The Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC) complies with all laws, including the bipartisan TRUST Act, which ensures state and local law enforcement focus on public safety and not doing the federal government’s job in civil immigration matters.
If DHS or ICE identify an individual in IDOC custody who is subject to deportation, they have multiple ways to work with IDOC, within the terms of the TRUST Act, to enforce federal immigration laws.
ICE can go to IDOC’s website to find the anticipated release date for any individual in IDOC’s custody.
ICE could also work with the US Attorney’s Offices in Illinois to obtain a criminal warrant for the arrest of the individual.
If needed, ICE could seek a court order to obtain additional information about the release of the individual.
Similar to the chaos seen from DHS at the highest levels, ICE routinely fails to take these available enforcement steps.
On this case specifically:
We are looking into whether we received this administrative detainer, but it is irrelevant to the fact that IDOC complies with all laws. Part of the Trump Administration’s strategy is leaking that they send administrative detainers attempting to blame states for immigration matters that fall within the federal government’s jurisdiction.
Discuss.
- Incandenza - Friday, Sep 19, 25 @ 9:30 am:
The reporting said that was “according to ICE.”
This is the problem with reporters just regurgitating what law enforcement or any other group says, uncritically. They just become a mouthpiece for that institution instead of actual journalism.
- DEE - Friday, Sep 19, 25 @ 9:33 am:
Maybe Fox will suspend Nic Flosi. /s
- Roadrager - Friday, Sep 19, 25 @ 9:45 am:
==Since Fox 32 basically just rewrote the ICE press release and didn’t ask anyone outside of law enforcement for comment==
I am shocked, shocked that a television station directly owned and operated by the Murdochs would engage in this sort of lazy government propaganda.
- Norseman - Friday, Sep 19, 25 @ 9:47 am:
Fox = shoddy reporting
- Norseman - Friday, Sep 19, 25 @ 9:50 am:
Rich or Isabel is probably preparing now the hot story - all over Bluesky - about an IL cong. candidate being thrown around by the secret police.
- ZC - Friday, Sep 19, 25 @ 9:51 am:
This is literally key for what sanctuary city policy amounts to (the reality, not the fiction). Totally the norm in other words, nothing out of the ordinary for IL here.
Maybe if ICE was actually focused on convicted murderers these days, instead of random sweeps outside Home Depots, they could have been there three days earlier.
If ICE had its act together they could have moved on this guy while he was still in lockup and been completely within their powers. But Illinois (as compared to Texas say) won’t hold onto people past their release date, just because ICE asks them to.
- Art - Friday, Sep 19, 25 @ 10:06 am:
Maybe shoddy reporting but I’m surprised the guy didn’t flee the country. So it’s OK to let this guy to walk around freely because he completed his sentence?
- Excitable Boy - Friday, Sep 19, 25 @ 10:11 am:
- So it’s OK to let this guy to walk around freely because he completed his sentence? -
That’s what happens when you complete a sentence. The state isn’t in charge of immigration matters, so take your complaint to ICE.
- Roadrager - Friday, Sep 19, 25 @ 10:12 am:
==So it’s OK to let this guy to walk around freely because he completed his sentence?==
Sit with your own question here for a little bit. Really give it a good thinking over.
- Occasionally Moderated - Friday, Sep 19, 25 @ 10:30 am:
So many opportunities to make adjustments have been missed. ICE and the federal government can’t make adjustments in the interest public safety? If this is truly important why can’t they assign prosecutors and magistrates to get warrants the state will recognize.The state can’t make adjustments in the interest of public safety? Very disappointing.
- Red headed step child - Friday, Sep 19, 25 @ 10:44 am:
Yes he did his sentence but show of hands,who would welcome him as a neighbor? Honest answers please.
- Demoralized - Friday, Sep 19, 25 @ 10:47 am:
==Yes he did his sentence but==
There is no “but.” Do some of you even listen to yourselves? We don’t hold people indefinitely in this country if that’s not what they’ve been sentenced to. What is wrong with some of you?
- Excitable Boy - Friday, Sep 19, 25 @ 10:51 am:
- who would welcome him as a neighbor? -
So that’s the standard we should use for incarceration? Do away with courts and sentences and poll potential neighbors instead.
Go back to Twitter.
- Trying to be Rational - Friday, Sep 19, 25 @ 10:51 am:
According to the DOJ, Louisiana keeps 25% of their prisoners an average of 90 days past the completion of their sentences. That practice should be stopped.
- JS Mill - Friday, Sep 19, 25 @ 10:59 am:
=This is the problem with reporters just regurgitating what law enforcement or any other group says, uncritically.=
In my experience with local media that is exactly what they do. They cruis facebook for stories and simply repeat what is given to them.
=- who would welcome him as a neighbor? -=
Would you welcome a convicted felon as a neighbor if he did not serve a sentence? Asking for a friend.
- Mason County - Friday, Sep 19, 25 @ 11:02 am:
This person appears to be an illegal immigrant who has committed a serious crime.
Our State and Federal government should work together to see that this man is not allowed to walk free in this nation. The Governor should understand that.
This is a very different issue than the State working actively with ICE to round up illegal immigrants.
If anyone does not understand that, I can’t help them.
- Original Rambler - Friday, Sep 19, 25 @ 11:04 am:
How anyone trusts Fox for straight “news” is beyond me after the Dominion voting machine settlement. The underlying emails were exceedingly incriminating.
Art and Redhead remind me of the guys in my gym. They turn on Fox and just gripe and moan about talking points that are clearly biased and inaccurate. Redhead’s goal post move was scarily amusing if that’s what they truly thinks but I suspect a troll.
- Cassandra's muse - Friday, Sep 19, 25 @ 11:21 am:
As the right works to shift blame to others for all the monsters loose in today’s political discourse, they plant the seeds of future sociopaths.
Facts mean nothing. Even though many of these monsters are created in their own basements.
The inability to discern cause and effect in the lies they spew insure a steady supply of people willing to kill anyone who disagrees with them. Even people on their own side.
No one is safe from violence and hatred. The denial of reality risks everyone’s future. Please stop.
- Demoralized - Friday, Sep 19, 25 @ 11:24 am:
==If anyone does not understand that, I can’t help them.==
The state only asks that a warrant be presented. The state isn’t the immigration police. If you don’t understand that I can’t help you.
- Red headed step child - Friday, Sep 19, 25 @ 11:26 am:
=- who would welcome him as a neighbor? -=
Would you welcome a convicted felon as a neighbor if he did not serve a sentence? Asking for a friend.
I see you didn’t answer the,question….asking for a friend
- Demoralized - Friday, Sep 19, 25 @ 11:40 am:
==Would you welcome a convicted felon as a neighbor if he did not serve a sentence? ==
What? He served the sentence.
==I see you didn’t answer the,question==
The question is irrelevant to the topic at hand and is noting but a red herring.
- Mason County - Friday, Sep 19, 25 @ 11:53 am:
- Demoralized - Friday, Sep 19, 25 @ 11:24 am:
==If anyone does not understand that, I can’t help them.==
The state only asks that a warrant be presented. The state isn’t the immigration police. If you don’t understand that I can’t help you.
=Prison officials declined to honor a federal immigration detainer, ICE said, allowing Salazar to walk free for three days before agents located him.=
Any other excuses?
- joand315 - Friday, Sep 19, 25 @ 12:06 pm:
It seems the state of Illinois is just asking the federal government to follow the law. The Federal government, apparently, has no interest in following the law
- Mason County - Friday, Sep 19, 25 @ 12:13 pm:
=Prison officials declined to honor a federal immigration detainer, ICE said=
Is that true? If not, then the State is right. If ICE did provide that, they should never have let the person free. Protect our citizens.
- Illiana - Friday, Sep 19, 25 @ 12:15 pm:
Legitimate question, what kind of “criminal warrant” can the feds get for someone who is being released for serving their sentenc? Can they just file for one for the crime they already served or do they have to find a new offense?
- Anyone Remember - Friday, Sep 19, 25 @ 12:15 pm:
“Forget it Jake, it’s Fox.”
- Amalia - Friday, Sep 19, 25 @ 12:19 pm:
I still remember back in the day when law enforcement cooperated on criminal matters that involved someone not legally in this country. served his sentence and deported would have been the action. or maybe sent back to prison in his home country upon conviction.
- Demoralized - Friday, Sep 19, 25 @ 12:28 pm:
Mason County
A retainer is issued by ICE not a judge. The state asks for a valid JUDICIAL warrant. It shouldn’t be that hard to obtain in this case. I have no problem with the state asking the federal government to respect basic judicial procedures. You want to be all in on ICE running amok then fine. I’m not.
- JS Mill - Friday, Sep 19, 25 @ 12:33 pm:
=I see you didn’t answer the,question….asking for a friend=
You aren’t my mom, so I don’t have to answer. And I knew you would never answer mine since you are intellectually dishonest.
- Cassandra's muse - Friday, Sep 19, 25 @ 12:34 pm:
Amalia: The Federal government’s problem is that being in the country without documents is not a criminal act.
You cannot compel State or Local police to hold a person without cause (citizen or non-citizen). No crime means they are free to go.
- Demoralized - Friday, Sep 19, 25 @ 12:58 pm:
==I still remember back in the day ==
This isn’t “back in the day.” The government not operates like the Secret Police. The rules have changed.