Chicago Man Allegedly Ordered Hit on Top Border Patrol Chief, Federal Prosecutors Say
CHICAGO – A Chicago-area man has been charged with attempting to arrange the murder of a high-ranking U.S. Border Patrol official, according to federal prosecutors. The alleged plot, revealed in court documents unsealed Wednesday, underscores escalating tensions surrounding immigration enforcement and security.
The case centers around Espinoza Martinez, whose alleged actions stem from a broader wave of protests and legal challenges to Homeland Security operations in the Northern District of illinois, particularly surrounding a U.S.Customs and Immigration Enforcement processing center in Broadview, illinois. The facility has become a focal point for Chicago-area demonstrations against immigration enforcement.
Prosecutors allege Espinoza Martinez solicited an individual to carry out the hit on the Border Patrol chief. Details surrounding the alleged solicitation and the identity of the targeted official have not been publicly released, citing ongoing investigation concerns.
The unfolding situation arrives amid a series of legal setbacks for the Biden administration’s immigration enforcement efforts in the region. Late on the evening of Oct. 14, Homeland Security was forced to remove a fence erected around the Broadview facility following an order from U.S. District Judge LaShonda A. Hunt. The judge ruled the reinforced gate hindered the Village of broadview’s ability to respond to emergencies.
An immigration agency spokesperson responded to the judge’s order by calling her an “activist judge” and asserting that removing the barrier “skyrockets” the risk of chaos and injury.
Federal prosecutors have also faced challenges in pursuing cases against protesters. Attorney General Pam Bondi previously labeled demonstrators as “violent agitators” and vowed “the strongest federal charges possible.” However,the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Chicago announced arrests in connection with the protests, with four of five cases subsequently dismissed. A felony charge against 70-year-old Vietnam-era veteran dana Briggs was downgraded to a misdemeanor.
