Success in Trump's Deportation Fight Centers on DuPage County, Illinois

An important "test case" has emerged out of DuPage County, Illinois that could help to determine how much assistance local law enforcement can provide to federal agents working to detain and deport illegal aliens. 

Four suspected Venezuelan gang members are being held in custody on multiple charges after allegedly stealing thousands of dollars of merchandise in January. 

Terry Newsome, host of the "Behind Enemy Lines" podcast, told Restoration News that he learned from Oak Brook Chief of Police Brian Strockis that the four suspects are illegal aliens from Venezuela's ultra-violent Tren de Aragua gang, which President Donald Trump recently designated as a terrorist group. Strockis couldn't be reached in time for comment. 

Illinois' sanctuary law, the "Trust Act," blocks local law enforcement officials from cooperating with Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in arresting, detaining, and deporting illegal aliens. But with citizen activists now working to overturn sanctuary laws as the Trump administration doubles down on deportation efforts, Newsome believes the atmosphere has changed.

"I think there is now more latitude for local officials to cooperate in some way with ICE despite the sanctuary laws," Newsome said. "This robbery out of the Oak Brook mall is an important test case, because we are obviously dealing with criminal illegal aliens who are also gang members. Also, we are seeing a broad cross section of citizens rise up against the sanctuary laws."

As Restoration News previously reported, petitioners, headed by the Save Illinois Coalition, have proposed two ballot questions overturning the "Trust Act" and Chicago's sanctuary ordinance. 

Only the Sheriff's Office Can Address Immigration Questions

Paul Darrah, a spokesperson for the DuPage County State's Attorney's Office, discussed the prosecution of the Oak Brook robbery suspects in a phone interview with Restoration News. But Darrah also said any questions about the suspects' immigration status, and potential interaction with ICE, would need to be addressed by the county sheriff's office. 

"We are a fairly large county with almost a million people, so we are own circuit," Darrah said. "The four suspects are being tried under Illinois state law."

The four suspects are Jaidera Rincon-Jaramillo, 24, with no known address; Gregory Mendoza-Rivas, 25, with no known address; Jonamer Barrios-Moreno, 28, of Chicago; and David Vivas-Esis, 21, of Chicago, were each charged with one count of burglary, one count of robbery and one count of retail theft. 

Rincon-Jaramillo and Barrios-Moreno are also each charged with one count of aggravated fleeing and eluding.

All four suspects initially pleaded not guilty, but Mendoza-Rivas recently changed his plea to guilty. On January 21, DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin and Strockis, the Oak Brook police chief, announced that Judge Joshua Dieden granted the State’s motion to detain the four men who are accused of stealing nearly $5,000 worth of merchandise from the Oak Brook Sunglass Hut store. The next step in the prosecution involves "status hearings" where trial dates and sentencing could be determined. 

But the overarching question of where federal immigration law enters into the equation remains unanswered. 

Restoration News contacted DuPage County Sheriff James Mendrick, a Republican running for governor, about the four suspects. Michael Cirolia, the public information officer for Mendrick's office, fielded several questions by phone and email.

Cirolia could not yet confirm whether the suspects are illegal alien gang members, if the sheriff's office had been contacted by ICE, and if the sheriff had any plans to cooperate with ICE. But Newsome had some additional details.

"One of the suspects, I'm not sure which one, had a coloscopy bag with him when he was arrested, because had been shot," Newsome claims. "There's no question that they are gang members and that they are illegal aliens."

The DuPage County prosecutions coincide with a dispute between the Trump administration and U.S. District Judge James Boasberg, an advocate for illegal aliens who's attempted to halt Trump's deportations. 

On March 20th, Larry Klayman, a former U.S. Department prosecutor who founded Freedom Watch and Judicial Watch, joined "Behind Enemy Lines" to discuss enforcing immigration law in blue states. Host Terry Newsome asked him whether law enforcement in sanctuary states, including Illinois, can contact ICE when they take Tren de Aragua thugs into custody following Trump's executive order designating the gang a terrorist organization. 

"Totally. They can do that if they want to," Klayman said.

(READ MORE: Chicagoans Want to Overturn Sanctuary Laws, But IL Democrats Put Illegal Aliens First)