Illinois Accountability Panel Urges Criminal Charges for Federal Agents in Operation Midway Blitz

At the Illinois Accountability Commission’s final hearing, chair Judge Rubén Castillo called on Cook County State’s Attorney Eileen O’Neill Burke to prosecute federal immigration agents for misconduct during Operation Midway Blitz. The commission found “reasonable cause to believe that agent Charles Exum shot an unarmed civilian without justification,” specifically naming the Border Patrol agent for shooting Marimar Martinez five times near 39th and Kedzie in Brighton Park on October 4, 2025. The panel also recommended accountability measures targeting Trump administration officials including White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller and former DHS secretary Kristi Noem.