Francia Garcia Hernandez

🔔 Government officials are citing journalism as "doxxing" to threaten press freedom.

Join our webinar with @telliotter.bsky.social, @royalpratt.bsky.social, @sovernnation.bsky.social, and @charlie4change.bsky.social to learn more.

🗓️ March 4, 2 pm ET

RSVP: freedom.press/journalism-isnt-doxxing

More Than 30 Warrantless Midway Blitz Arrests Violated Consent Decree, Judge Rules A federal judge ordered immigration officials to release those affected by his order by noon Thursday.

Of the 32 people improperly arrested without warrants, 11 are believed to still be in detention, another 11 have left the country and 10 are believed to have been released under various conditions, @mollydevore.bsky.social reports.

blockclubchicago.org/2026/02/27/m...

Immigrant Father Of 3 Reunites With Family After Being Unlawfully Arrested During Midway Blitz José Luis Téllez Fernández was detained — away from his children, his job, his dog — for weeks, even after immigration authorities told a federal judge they would release him. Hundreds of people unlaw...

Federal officials detained a father of 3 for months, holding him away from his children, his job, and his dog, even weeks after telling a judge they planned to release him. His arrest violated a consent decree over arrests w/o a warrant, the feds acknowledged.

blockclubchicago.org/2026/02/24/i...

Warlord Chef's Abuse Went Unchecked For Years, Women And Ex-Workers Say Warlord star chef Trevor Fleming has been sharing sexual photos of women without consent and berating staffers for years, witnesses said. It was an open secret in the industry — and it's time for acco...

Warlord star chef Trevor Fleming has been sharing sexual photos of women without consent and berating staffers for years, witnesses said. It was an open secret in the industry ––and it’s time for accountability, they said.
Must read by@arielparrella.bsky.social

blockclubchicago.org/2026/02/19/w...

Far Southwest Side & Beverly neighbors, this one is for you. Subscribe: blockclubchicago.org/newsletters/

Immigration Judge Fast-Tracks Asylum Hearings For Local Somali Asylum-Seekers Legal advocates and local officials said the Trump administration is using immigration courts to target asylum-seekers as part of its deportation efforts — and that fast-tracking cases means they won'...

An immigration judge fast-tracked dozens of Somali asylum-seekers' cases Tuesday.

Legal advocates and local officials said the Trump administration is using immigration courts to target asylum-seekers as part of its deportation efforts.

blockclubchicago.org/2026/02/18/i...

Five security lessons from the FBI’s Washington Post raid Court documents show how investigators can track digital activities, and reveal ways to harden journalists’ devices

Court documents detailing a recent FBI raid on a Washington Post reporter offer some important insights into risks to journalists and potential sources, and what can be done in response.

Grammy-Nominated Mariachi Herencia De México Returns To Thalia Hall Sunday The mariachi band will also play next month at the Old Town School of Folk Music in Lincoln Square as part of the band's "La Nueva Generación" tour.

A Grammy-nominated mariachi with roots in Chicago returns to Pilsen on Sunday for a tribute concert for Vicente “Chente” Fernández. More on the band's history and its efforts to bring mariachi to bicultural audiences @blockclubchi.bsky.social

blockclubchicago.org/2026/02/11/g...

JUST IN: The trial in Chicago's Broadview conspiracy case is set for May 26.

Background: chicago.suntimes.com/immigration/...

Catch me this afternoon speaking with a powerful panel on how local journalists can cover immigration enforcement operations. I'll be sharing more about how @blockclubchi.bsky.social covered Operation Midway Blitz.

@freedom.press

Register: zoom.us/webinar/regi...

🔔 Immigration enforcement reporting can be dangerous.

Learn how lessons from one community can apply elsewhere with local journalists @eltragon.bsky.social, @franciagarciah.bsky.social, @nigrotime.bsky.social, and @kevinhfoster.bsky.social.

Feb. 5, 2 pm ET

RSVP: freedom.press/covering-immigration

Before ICE Shooting, Immigration Agents Repeatedly Used Deadly Force The killing of a Minneapolis woman is latest by ICE and Border Patrol officers in recent months. Others have been wounded or threatened with guns.

For the last few months, I kept a document where every time I saw reports of fed immigration agents shooting or pointing their gun at someone, I made a note. The list grew and grew. It now includes 4 deaths. Here is what I noticed keeping that list.

www.themarshallproject.org/2026/01/07/i...

Former Mayor Lori Lightfoot Launches ICE Accountability Project To Document Agent Abuses
Her project will collect & vet alleged wrongdoing by fed agents on a new website to eventually help “someone with a grand jury subpoena.”
Mack Liederman/Block Club Chicago
blockclubchicago.org/2026/01/08/f...

Chicago Under Siege: How Operation Midway Blitz Changed Our City Federal agents arrested thousands during an unprecedented immigration mission in Chicago. They also killed a man, shot a woman five times, tear-gassed a 1-year-old, separated families and brutalized p...

We've been quietly at work, taking a look back at how Operation Midway Blitz changed Chicago and what happened after hundreds of federal agents detained immigrants. Unlike what the feds claimed, over 60% of those arrested did not have criminal charges.

READ:

blockclubchicago.org/2025/12/30/c...

Little Village Chamber Leader Thanked Border Patrol Agents As They Arrested Neighbors, Video Shows Little Village, an enclave for Mexican Americans and immigrants, was heavily targeted during Operation Midway Blitz. After Block Club uncovered the video, the chamber said the employee was no longer e...

A newly uncovered video shows the chamber's former director of community development & outreach thanking and encouraging immigration agents. After Block Club uncovered the video, the chamber said the employee was no longer employed there “effective immediately.”

blockclubchicago.org/2025/12/03/l...

Border Chief Bovino Calls Use Of Force By Immigration Agents In Chicago 'More Than Exemplary' During a pivotal federal court hearing on immigration crackdown tactics, other witnesses described being assaulted, threatened with guns, tear-gassed and shot with pepper balls.

When a lawyer asked Bovino if he stood by an earlier statement that use of force has been "exemplary," he said he would rate their performance even higher: "All uses of force have been more than exemplary.”

@blockclubchi.bsky.social

blockclubchicago.org/2025/11/05/p...

From Chicago To LA, Neighborly Solidarity Fuels Resistance To ICE Volunteer patrols, mutual aid efforts and immigrant defenders are driving the anti-fascist movement against ICE and countering the “crime-ridden” fear narratives about their cities.

When ICE comes to their neighborhoods, residents in Los Angeles and Chicago know it’s time to act.

“We’re talking about thousands of people that have been activated,” an organizer said.

blockclubchicago.org/2025/11/05/f...

with @lapublicpress.bsky.social

At Least 2 People — Including A Citizen — Detained By Immigration Agents In Albany Park Friday ALBANY PARK — At least two people were detained by immigration agents Friday morning in Albany Park on the Northwest Side. According to video and

At Least 2 People — Including A Citizen — Detained By Immigration Agents In Albany Park Friday blockclubchicago.org/2025/10/31/a...

Lawsuit Alleges 'Horrific And Inhumane' Conditions At Broadview ICE Facility The federal lawsuit says detained people are being denied water, food, medical care and hygiene: "They treated us like animals, or worse than animals, because no one treats their pets like that."

People at the facility are being denied water, food, medical care, hygiene and other basic necessities in an extremely cramped facility that smells strongly of feces, urine and body odor, according to the lawsuit.

via @minabloom.bsky.social

blockclubchicago.org/2025/10/31/l...

Border Patrol chief Gregory Bovino arrives at the Federal Building in Chicago's Loop this morning.

#OnAssignment for @blockclubchi.bsky.social

Border Patrol Boss Bovino Tear-Gasses Chicago Crowd, Violating Judge’s Order, Lawyers Say New video shows Border Patrol chief Greg Bovino tossing a tear gas canister toward people in Little Village Thursday. Attorneys in an ongoing lawsuit over force against peaceful protesters say Bovino ...

More: blockclubchicago.org/2025/10/24/b...

Pilsen man shot by a pepper bullet at close range in Little Village YouTube video by Block Club Chicago

Another video from that day shows a federal agent shoot a pepper-spray ball at a protester who had been standing and recording the agents in Little Village.

www.youtube.com/shorts/TQuAD...

Border Patrol Chief Bovino To Appear In Federal Court Tuesday On Tear Gas, Use Of Force Border Patrol boss Greg Bovino is being called in as part of a lawsuit filed on behalf of Block Club Chicago and other organizations over immigration agents using force against journalists and peacefu...

Border Patrol Chief Greg Bovino is appearing in court today, just a few days after he was seen on video tear-gassing a crowd in Little Village.

blockclubchicago.org/2025/10/27/f...

EMERGENCY EPISODE: Reporting on the Front Line of the ICE Raids in Chicago w/Francia Garcia Hernandez A deep dive with Block Club Chicago reporter Francia Garcia Hernandez on the ongoing ICE raids, and the resilience fueling the fight to protect Chicago residents

Here’s the latest from the Chicago Pilsen, Little Village, and Back of the Yards community on The Banh Mi Chronicles Podcast from reporter @franciagarciah.bsky.social of @blockclubchi.bsky.social regarding the ongoing ICE raids & journalism safety

open.substack.com/pub/randykim...

Since the start of Operations Midway Blitz and At Large, typical is no longer a thing.

More about what it's like to cover immigration enforcement operations in Chicago @poynterinstitute.bsky.social

Border Patrol Boss Bovino Tear-Gasses Chicago Crowd, Violating Judge’s Order, Lawyers Say New video shows Border Patrol chief Greg Bovino tossing a tear gas canister toward people in Little Village Thursday. Attorneys in an ongoing lawsuit over force against peaceful protesters say Bovino ...

New video shows Border Patrol chief Greg Bovino tossing a tear gas canister toward people in Little Village Thursday. Another video shows a federal agent shoot a pepper-spray ball at a protester.

W/ @minabloom.bsky.social for @blockclubchi.bsky.social

blockclubchicago.org/2025/10/24/b...

Chicago-Area Companies Raked In Millions From Feds As Operation Midway Blitz Intensified One Chicago-based company was awarded more than $7 million to relocate ICE employees while a suburban weapons manufacturer was paid nearly $1.5 million in two weeks to supply pepper balls and air-powe...

Federal agencies paid $1.5 million to a local nonlethal weapons manufacturer in Chicago for air-powered guns and pepper balls. It also paid $7.3 million to a downtown real estate company to relocate ICE agents leading up to Operation Midway Blitz. blockclubchicago.org/2025/10/23/c...

WGN Staffer Detained By Border Patrol Agents In Lincoln Square, Neighbors Say The woman was recording agents as they detained a man when they took her into custody, handcuffing her and putting her a van, according to witnesses and video. The agents drove into another car while ...

Federal agents detained a woman who works for the news agency WGN on Friday morning, witnesses said.

“WGN is aware of this situation, and we are actively gathering the facts related to it,” the company said in a statement.

blockclubchicago.org/2025/10/10/w...

Park No. 571 occupies a site on the Chicago River that once housed a Peoples Gas plant. With Peoples Gas set to remediate its last parcel along the river, the park could be in line for a dramatic expansion.
via Mack Liederman / @blockclubchi.bsky.social
blockclubchicago.org/2025/09/16/b...

Know Your Rights - National Immigrant Justice Center Get information to be prepared to encounter ICE and to protect yourself and your loved ones.

Get NIJC's Know Your Rights resources at www.immigrantjustice.org/KYR
➡️ If You Encounter ICE
➡️ What to Do if You or a Loved One is Detained
➡️ Plan Ahead to Protect Your Family in the Event of Deportation
➡️ Prepare for Trump’s Mass Deportation Threats
& more