CARLYLE, Ill. — Immigration arrests have reached southern Illinois, with the detention of a longtime resident at the Clinton County Courthouse drawing outrage from advocates and state leaders.
On Monday, Oct. 27, Jose Jeronimo Guardian, 48, was detained by men identifying themselves as U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents as he arrived for a Spanish-language traffic court session in Carlyle. Guardian, who has lived in the U.S. for more than 20 years, never made it inside the courtroom before being handcuffed and taken to a Missouri detention center to await deportation.
Guardian’s case comes just days before Illinois lawmakers passed House Bill 1312, which bans immigration arrests in and around courthouses, hospitals, and childcare centers. The bill, which now awaits Gov. JB Pritzker’s signature, would also allow Illinois residents to sue federal officers who violate civil rights.
“They are literally targeting people who are brown and Black — whether you are undocumented or not,” Pritzker said Tuesday. “They’re detaining people for hours, zip-tying U.S. citizens, and mistreating people who simply don’t look like them.”
Courthouse Detention Raises Concerns
Guardian was detained outside the Clinton County Circuit Clerk’s Office, where ICE agents allegedly questioned him, claimed he had been deported three times, and took him away in an unmarked car. His daughter, Isabel Guardian, followed, holding her baby and demanding answers.
“He said he was willing to cooperate. He wasn’t fighting them,” Isabel said, adding that her father was trying to resolve his DUI charges before beginning the process of applying for a Green Card.
Advocates say the timing of the arrest — during a Spanish-language court session — raises concerns of targeted enforcement.
“Targeting a Spanish-language docket is deeply troubling,” said Ed Yohnka of the ACLU of Illinois. “It suggests ICE is profiling people based on the language they speak.”
Growing ICE Activity in Downstate Illinois
Since President Donald Trump’s “Operation Midway Blitz” began in September, Illinois has seen a sharp increase in immigration enforcement activity, including in rural and small-town areas that had rarely seen ICE presence before.
In Macoupin County, ICE agents also detained Ismael Sandoval Ayuzo, the owner of Caldera Bar and Grill in Staunton, while he was delivering a computer cord to his daughters’ school. His arrest shocked the local community, which is now organizing a support event titled “We Stand with Ismael.”
“This community loves him. We’re a small town, and this has rocked us,” said Chelsa Pruden, co-founder of Macoupin County Indivisible.
Calls for Legislative Action
Illinois lawmakers have condemned the arrests and vowed to strengthen protections for immigrants.
“We are a nation built on liberty and due process, not fear and disappearance,” said Rep. Nicolle Grasse (D-Arlington Heights). “No one should be taken from their family, their home, or our courthouses without cause or compassion.”
Guardian remains detained in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, while his traffic cases in Clinton County have been postponed to November.
Advocates and state leaders say the arrests highlight the urgency of HB 1312, which seeks to establish Illinois as a “safe zone” for immigrants and limit ICE’s reach into spaces meant to ensure justice and safety.
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