"They Took Her Like a Criminal": Chicago Family Devastated After Federal Agents Smash Car Window, Drag Mom From Car, Detain Her
- Natalie Frank
- Jul 20
- 4 min read
Similar actions were taken against two men in separate in Little Village who were also taken from their car. Chicago advocates are attempting to get the three legal representation
Natalie C. Frank, Ph.D July 20, 2025
CHICAGO, IL — A wave of federal immigration raids rocked Chicago’s West and South sides on Thursday, shaking families in Little Village and Montclare. At least one mother was forcibly removed from her vehicle in front of her home, while two men were detained in a similar fashion from a car earlier in the day. Local volunteers are now moving quickly to mobilize legal assistance for the three who were arrested as communities remain in shock from the aggressive enforcement actions.
Montclare Raid Played Out Live on Facebook
In a startling scene livestreamed on Facebook, federal agents could be seen smashing the window of a car owned by Catalina Mota Martínez, a Montclare resident, around 4:20 p.m. Thursday, according to relatives and video* of the incident. Martínez, who relocated from Mexico roughly 30 years ago, sat in a parked car when agents ordered her out.
In the grainy three-and-a-half-minute video, she can be heard insisting, “show me a warrant,” while agents refuse to produce one. One officer sporting a U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives patch pressed his hand against the car window to block the recording. After brandishing a metal tool, he consulted a colleague about breaking the window.
Another masked agent insisted, “I just have to take you to the office to process you. I know you have something pending, right?” Martínez shot back, “I had no idea that I had something pending,” before the livestream abruptly ended.
Martínez's daughter, a citizen who asked not to be named for safety, shared that she was at work when she witnessed the live footage. She described reaching out to her stepfather, who stood by but could not intervene, as law enforcement shattered the glass and pulled her mother out.
As of Friday, Martínez was being held at the Clay County Justice Center in Brazil, Indiana. Her case number was provided to her daughter, who confirmed that her mother has retained legal representation and launched a GoFundMe to cover legal costs. A mother of three, Martínez runs a Tupperware-based home business. Her youngest child, just 13 years old, is now in the care of his father while his mother awaits resolution.
“It’s devastating; you feel hopeless. I was so far away I couldn’t get to her to help her,” said her daughter. “She doesn’t get in trouble. She had a driver’s license, she works from home, and that’s what she dedicates her life to.”
ICE and ATF have not yet responded to requests for comment.
Early Morning Traffic Stop in Little Village
Thursday began with another aggressive immigration enforcement action in Little Village. Around 8:30 a.m., federal agents swarmed a vehicle at South Kedvale Avenue and 26th Street, detaining two men. Photos and videos of the incident were quickly shared by the Pilsen Rapid Response Network and Little Village Local on social media.
Diego Morales, lead volunteer with the Pilsen Rapid Response Network, confirmed they received documentation via the statewide network, designed to alert residents and providers about immigration enforcement actions. Camila Gavin, another volunteer, arrived near 9 a.m. after reports of the stop. Discovering the agents had left, she tracked down the vehicle. Inside, she found personal items, lunchboxes, IDs, clearly visible, signaling the abrupt nature of the arrests.
Gavin then went to neighbors and a local landlord, who described the men as “some of the best tenants he’d ever had.” Community members rallied to contact the detained men’s nephew after he returned home from work. The nephew, alone and without other family in the area, was connected with pro bono legal support by the rapid response volunteers. They remain in custody at Marion County Jail in Indiana; their identities are being withheld for safety.
Morales commented, “It really was a beautiful show of community and solidarity because people were really concerned.” He encouraged anyone who sees suspicious detainment activity to contact Illinois’ rapid response hotline at 855-435-7693, warning that recent policy shifts may be designed to instill fear and pressure undocumented immigrants into self-deporting, rather than being forcibly removed.
Community Strain and Legal Battle
In both neighborhoods, activists are rushing to provide legal and emotional support to families affected. Early indicators suggest that while the raids may cost taxpayers millions, the federal strategy appears more focused on psychological impact than logistical efficiency, Morales said.
Similar strategies have commonly accompanied high-profile immigration policy changes, prompting local protests and calls for government accountability. ICE detainee locator records confirm at least Martínez, Morales, and Gavin are providing daily status updates and connecting families with attorneys.
Marginalized communities have expressed alarm over these raids, noting they follow increased mobilization of federal agents in cities considered sanctuary jurisdictions, including Chicago’s South and West Side neighborhoods.
Why This Incident Matters
These immigration operations are examples of broader tensions between federal enforcement priorities and local community protections and advocates. They also highlight the human cost of aggressive immigration tactics, even when directed at undocumented adults who are mothers, small business owners, or integral community members.
Experts refer to a “chilling effect” imposed by aggressive raids, where families avoid schools, hospitals, and social services out of fear. That isolation not only discourages everyday civic engagement, it can sever crucial lifelines to health, legal, and educational resources.
In Montclare, a moms’ group has already scheduled a candlelight vigil outside Martínez’s home. In Little Village, volunteers distributed flyers detailing litigation and immigration rights. Both groups are debating whether to pursue legal action against federal overreach.
“This was not a typical detainment,” said Morales. “It was intended to be seen, to terrify, not just remove.”
Looking Ahead
Legal advocates are considering federal lawsuits alleging immigration enforcement crossed constitutional boundaries. Community leaders are calling on city officials to request federal transparency and oversight. Some propose local ordinances to limit police cooperation with ICE—a direction Chicago has discussed in past council debates.
