The work of the Illinois Accountability Commission is being highlighted as a national model for documenting federal immigration enforcement conduct, the state said Wednesday, through a project called Disappeared in America.

According to the release from the state, the project was launched by the Democracy Power Project and documents the names, faces and stories of people who have been detained, deported, separated from their families, killed or otherwise impacted by federal immigration enforcement. The site also includes a submission portal where Illinoisans and others can report experiences of potential federal misconduct.

A central feature of the project examines Illinois' response to Operation Midway Blitz and the work of the Illinois Accountability Commission. The platform includes an animated short film telling the story of Ofelia Torres, described as a Chicago teenager battling a rare form of cancer who was separated from her father after he was detained by immigration authorities.

"Last year, the Trump Administration launched an unprecedented military-style assault against our communities, sending thousands of masked federal agents to harass, intimidate, and abuse our people," said Gov. JB Pritzker in the release. "There will come a time where people of good faith are empowered to uphold the law, and Illinois will support the pursuit of justice to its fullest extent."

How the commission was built

Pritzker established the Illinois Accountability Commission by executive order in October 2025 following federal immigration enforcement operations across the Chicagoland area, the release said. Housed within the Illinois Department of Human Rights, it is described as the first state-level commission in the nation to investigate federal law enforcement misconduct and produce a public record of its findings.

Over six months, the commission examined Operation Midway Blitz through public hearings, community engagement, witness interviews, expert analysis and review of documentary and video evidence, according to the release. Its work culminated in a final report approved April 30, 2026.

The commission found patterns of what it called illegal and violent conduct by federal immigration enforcement agents during the operation, the release said. Its findings addressed use of force, warrantless arrests and discriminatory stops, detention conditions, enforcement tactics, transparency and oversight, and effects on families, businesses, public safety and civic life.

"The Commission found illegal and violent conduct by federal immigration agents, including unlawful stops and arrests, excessive force, and the use of paramilitary tactics in Illinois communities," said retired federal Judge Ruben Castillo, co-chair of the commission, in the release.

Referrals and recommendations

Following its investigation, the commission transmitted its report and a referral letter to the Cook County State's Attorney, the Kane County State's Attorney and law enforcement agencies in Chicago, Evanston, Franklin Park and Elgin for review of evidence concerning potential violations of law, the release said. The commission acknowledged it does not possess subpoena power or prosecutorial jurisdiction.

The commission's recommendations include stronger guardrails around immigration enforcement, ending indiscriminate enforcement sweeps and unlawful warrantless arrests, limiting identity-shielding practices, strengthening protections for sensitive locations, improving oversight of uses of force, expanding transparency and body-worn-camera requirements, and protecting due process for people in detention, according to the release.

"The Illinois Accountability Commission was only possible because people had the courage to come forward and tell the truth about what they and their communities were experiencing," said Hina Mahmood, executive director of the commission, in the release.

The commission's final report and referral letter are available at ilac.illinois.gov/final-report.

Source: the original release