The Chicago Police Department has made over 1,000 arrests of Venezuelan migrants in the first three months of 2024, according to data published by the Chicago Tribune. The Tribune reviewed crime data of the city’s Venezuelan population, with 40,000 migrants arriving since August 2022. While the police department does not specifically track migrant arrests, they do record the country of origin for those arrested in about 86% of cases.
Of the cases where data was recorded, more than 1,000 arrests of Venezuelan migrants were made from January to March 2024. This means that while Venezuelan migrants make up only 1.5% of Chicago’s population, they make up 11.11% of arrests for that period.
Chicago City Councilman Raymond Lopez has voiced concerns about the city’s sanctuary policy and illegal immigration flow. He believes that the lack of enforcement of quality-of-life laws around migrant shelters is leading to an increase in crime in the area.
In the 19 months since migrants started arriving in Chicago, 21 arrests were made of Venezuelan migrants for violent felonies. One such arrest was that of Elvis Hernandez-Pernalete, who was charged in March for allegedly sexually assaulting and robbing a woman.
Overall, Chicago Police Department data shows a significant increase in arrests of Venezuelan migrants since 2021, with the number rising by over 11,000%. In 2021, only six Venezuelan migrants were arrested, compared to nearly 700 by late November 2023.
