A shocking incident took place during an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operation near Chicago when a U.S. citizen was wrongly arrested. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, known for her dramatic law enforcement appearances and nicknamed “ICE Barbie,” shared a video of the raid on social media that unexpectedly revealed the mistake.
Noem Oversees Operation Resulting in Arrest of Innocent Citizen
During “Operation Midway Blitz,” armed agents handcuffed several men on video. In her post, Noem suggested that the agents were arresting undocumented immigrants accused of serious crimes like assault, driving under the influence (DUI), and felony stalking. However, one of the men the agents arrested was 37-year-old Joe Botello, a U.S. citizen born in Texas.
Botello told reporters that he never imagined the agents would arrest him at his own home. “I’m just blessed that I’m still alive,” he said. Botello explained how agents broke down his door in the early morning and placed him and his roommates in handcuffs without explaining the reason.
The incident took place in Elgin, Illinois. Botello’s reaction reflected shock and fear as he recalled how agents, masked and armed, treated him without due process. “I’ve been hearing it and seeing it through social media. But it never crossed my mind that it was going to happen here at the house… where I live,” Botello told the Chicago Tribune.
Noem Promotes Operation Amid Wrongful Arrests
Botello shared that the agents never informed him why they were detaining him or read him his Miranda rights, which the law requires officers to give to suspects at the time of arrest. In a distressing moment, one agent even asked how he spoke English so well. Botello calmly replied that he’s American.
The father of five explained how difficult it was to face such an unexpected event. After he showed his identification, including his U.S. passport, the agents released him and another man. CBS News reported that the agents also wrongly detained a second U.S. citizen during the operation but eventually released him. Meanwhile, the agents held four others in custody.
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Botello urged others to always carry identification. “I’m glad I was able to grab my wallet in order to have some type of identification,” he said. “I’m still a little bit in shock. I’m just glad that I’m OK. I recommend that everyone always have their documentation—passport if they can, and any type of ID that would identify them. Stay safe.”
Despite the controversy, Secretary Noem made no mention of the wrongful arrests in her post promoting the operation. She wrote on the social platform X that the action was necessary to protect citizens. “President Trump has been clear: if politicians will not put the safety of their citizens first, this administration will. I was on the ground in Chicago today to make clear we are not backing down. Our work is only beginning,” Noem wrote.
Officials Defend the Operation Amid Backlash
The Department of Homeland Security explained that it launched the operation in memory of Katie Abraham, a 20-year-old student visiting the University of Illinois who a drunk driver tragically killed in a hit-and-run case in January. A Guatemalan man living in the U.S. illegally faces accusations for causing the crash. Officials said they aimed the operation at targeting undocumented immigrants with criminal records, but the agents’ mistaken arrest of U.S. citizens like Botello has sparked concerns.
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State Senator Cristina Castro, a Democrat representing Illinois’ 22nd District, expressed concern about how the raid affects the community. “I think it’s unnerving. It’s unsettling. People are afraid,” she told the Chicago Tribune. She added that families, particularly from immigrant communities, feel worried and hesitant even to celebrate cultural events. “This is just going to put more fear in hard-working people who really just are here to have a better life,” she said.
As the video circulated, many raised questions about how such an operation led by Noem could wrongly detain citizens without verifying their identities first. The operation’s aggressive methods, especially in residential areas, left many shaken and uncertain.
