COPA acknowledges complaint against Chicago police officers for alleged sex with migrant housed at station

For months, migrants bused to Chicago from Texas have found themselves housed in Chicago police stations in difficult circumstances, leaving city and state leaders stunned Friday by allegations that officers at one of the police facilities may have had sexual contact with at least one of those seeking shelter there.

A complaint submitted Thursday to the Civilian Office of Police Accountability spurred an internal Chicago Police Department investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct by at least one officer involving a migrant housed at a West Side police station.

In a statement issued Friday, COPA First Deputy Chief Administrator Ephraim Eaddy said the agency alerted CPD internal affairs upon receipt of the complaint against “members” of the department.

“While COPA investigators are currently determining whether the facts and details of this allegation are substantiated, we want to assure the public that all allegations of this nature are of the highest priority and COPA will move swiftly to address any misconduct by those involved,” Eaddy said in the statement.

Late Thursday, CPD acknowledged it launched an internal investigation into allegations that at least one officer engaged in a sexual relationship with migrants who were housed at the Ogden District station. That district covers the Little Village and Lawndale neighborhoods.

Most of the details of the allegations were not known, but migrants staying at the station told a Tribune reporter on Friday that they were being relocated.

Mayor Brandon Johnson’s office issued a statement calling the situation “deeply troubling.”

“New arrivals are being moved to temporary shelters in current operation, with full relocation to be completed by tomorrow morning,” a statement from the administration read.

Also a focus was whether some of the migrants allegedly involved in the matter were minors, sources with knowledge of the internal review said. A CPD spokesperson did not address questions about when the investigation began or if any officers were stripped of their police powers.

The Johnson administration confirmed that aspect of the case late Friday.

“The Johnson administration remains intensely focused on the deeply troubling allegations of sexual misconduct by a Chicago Police Department officer against a minor new arrival, and other allegations of sexual misconduct in the Chicago Police Department’s 10th District,” the statement read. “While this incident is under investigation by the CPD Bureau of Internal Affairs and the Civilian Office of Police Accountability, the City is committed to providing mental health support and resources to all those in need.”

Asked about the investigation at an unrelated news conference in Springfield on Friday, Gov. J.B. Pritzker said it would be “horrific” if the allegations are proven to be true.

He also noted that more migrants have been removed from police stations, “where they’ve been taking good care of those migrants,” and being put into more permanent shelter or housing.

“In fact, what we’re trying to do is make sure that people get rental assistance so they can go have a real apartment to live in, especially families,” Pritzker said. “It’s a terrible thing and I hope there’s a full investigation as fast as possible, and if there is wrongdoing they ought to be held accountable immediately.”

As part of the $50.4 billion budget for the new fiscal year, Pritzker and his Democratic allies in the Illinois General Assembly set aside $42.5 million to aid migrants throughout the state.

The plight of migrants in the city has been a focus of the new administration of Johnson. Largely from Central America and Venezuela, the migrants have been bused to Chicago and other major U.S. cities from Texas.

In the meantime, the city has struggled to find adequate housing for them. Since April, CPD’s 22 district stations — along with several other city-owned or otherwise unused buildings — have become temporary homes for hundreds of migrants, sometimes drawing the ire of local residents.

Many of those migrants have found themselves seeking shelter in Chicago police stations, as information about the conditions at city shelters has circulated. City officials this week said more than 5,000 migrants are currently being housed in city shelters and nearly 800 were awaiting placement at police stations.

The three Ogden District councilors issued a statement Friday, saying that “if these allegations are substantiated, we will pursue appropriate disciplinary and legal actions against the officers involved.”

On Friday, migrants staying at the Ogden station said they first learned of the allegations when they saw television news cameras.

“The officers don’t even speak to us,” said David Hernandez.

Inside the station, his family and a few others were behind blue police barricades and surrounded by yellow crime scene tape on the windows. Most slept on the ground.

U.S. Rep. Jesús “Chuy” García said in a statement that the alleged misconduct was “unacceptable.”

“Our migrant neighbors came to Chicago seeking safety and stability,” Garcia said. “Police officers are sworn to protect our communities, not engage in illegal sexual conduct with teenagers and others in their care. This alleged behavior is completely unacceptable. I expect the city’s investigation to be timely, thorough, transparent, and lead to accountability for all who are found guilty.”

Ald. Michael Rodriguez, 22nd, said “allegations of this sort should be taken very seriously and they should be fully investigated.”

“We are a welcoming city for migrants and we need to make sure our public officials and public spaces are held accountable to honoring this value,” Rodriguez said.

Karla Urbina, a migrant from Nicaragua, spent more than a month staying in a Chicago police station. She said that the abuse and shame from officers was constant.

“Many have no respect for us, they see us as objects,” said the mother, who is not staying at a shelter but has joined forces with volunteers to help other asylum-seekers who are currently arriving.

Some officers treat not only women, but all migrants badly, she said, calling them names, giving looks and violating the little privacy that they may have.

Most will not report any abuse even if it’s sexual because they fear that they’ll be kicked out of the stations or shelter, she said.

“We can’t afford to do that,” Urbina said.

Susie Moya, a licensed clinical social worker and mental health therapist, started a support group for migrant women. She said many share a traumatic journey — stories of sexual assault, losing a loved one and the separation of families — but seeking help is not easy.

“I’m focusing on gaining their trust,” she said. Most have not had access to mental health services and opening up is difficult, Moya added.

“Trauma affects these asylum-seekers psychologically and physically; that trauma influences their way of thinking and the choices they make,” Moya said. “It is an overall loss of power and control, instilling fear while they are trying to survive.”

Outside of the Ogden district Friday evening, a group of roughly 30 activists and local politicians spoke, held signs and chanted in protest.

“Silent cops are guilty cops! Silent cops are guilty cops!” was one message.

“A lot of them traveled eight countries. They got beaten, they got robbed, they’ve been raped. And we do it again here? It’s just mind-boggling how they allowed this to happen,” said Baltazar Enriquez, who has been helping the migrant families through his role as president of the Little Village Community Council.

The protesters expressed a variety of demands including a release of the names of the officer or officers under investigation, swift action against the officers, an emergency meeting with COPA and for Pritzker to call for a “special session” on the topic.

Kiisha Smith, one of the 10th Police District Council members, confirmed the mayor’s office already met one of their demands by calling for the removal of all migrants from the 10th District police station by 4 p.m. Friday. Their next destination was not confirmed.

“If any of the allegations are found to be true and fact we will take charge and attempt to hold them accountable for their actions, most definitely,” Smith said.

Ald. Monique Scott, who represents the 24th Ward, which includes the 10th District police station, said residents should wait for the investigation to resolve.

”Right now, they are just accusations. So my heart goes out to the people that are involved and the officers because we don’t know the validity of the truth right now, correct?” she said on a phone call with the Tribune Friday night. “I would encourage anybody in my ward to sit back and wait and don’t jump to conclusions, don’t jump on a side, wait for the results and wait to see what the investigation turns out to be.”

Tribune reporter Alice Yin contributed.