García, Durbin, Blumenthal, Duckworth, Ramirez call on DHS to Investigate Fatal Shooting of Silverio Villegas-Gonzalez in Franklin Park

CHICAGO — Congressman Jesús “Chuy” García (IL-04), member of the House Judiciary Committee, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Ranking Member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs’ Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), and Congresswoman Delia C. Ramirez (IL-03), member of the House Homeland Security Committee, sent a letter to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, ICE Acting Director Todd Lyons, and DHS Inspector General Joseph Cuffari, seeking transparency and accountability about the fatal shooting of Silverio Villegas-Gonzalez by an ICE officer during a targeted traffic stop.

The lawmakers demanded an investigation by the DHS Inspector General and Office of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties into the ICE officers’ actions. They also asked a series of factual questions, citing inconsistencies between publicly released surveillance footage and allegations made by DHS about Mr. Villegas-Gonzalez’s actions and the officer’s injuries. The lawmakers sought details about the exact series of events leading up to and following the shooting of Mr. Villegas-Gonzalez, the alleged basis for the ICE officer’s use of deadly force, and the relevant trainings and protocols with which ICE agents are supposed to comply.  

“Any injury or loss of life is tragic. The death of Mr. Villegas-Gonzalez, the injuries to the officer, and the danger the incident posed to the community warrant transparency, oversight and accountability,” the lawmakers wrote.

“Given the seriousness of this incident, we further request an investigation by the DHS Office of Inspector General and the Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties,” concluded the lawmakers in the letter.

 Full text of the letter can be found here.

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