Venezuelan Migrant Arrested 16 Times in Chicago Now in ICE Custody
A Venezuelan migrant who has been arrested 16 times since arriving in Chicago in October 2023 is currently in ICE custody, according to records.
In February, after his 13th arrest, it was reported that a Cook County judge warned Josue Vargas Rodriguez that he could face deportation for pleading guilty to attempting to rob a woman in Streeterville. Despite this warning, Rodriguez was released from custody after the court hearing and went on to be arrested three more times before being apprehended by federal authorities.
Rodriguez, who also goes by aliases such as Santos Vargas, Santiago Bargas Rodriguez, Santiago Jose Vargas Rodriguez, and Ramon Vargas, is currently detained at the Clay County Justice Center in Indiana.
Last November, Rodriguez was arrested by Chicago police after a 43-year-old woman caught him trying to break the lock off her electric bike using a rock in Streeterville. When she tried to intervene, Rodriguez became aggressive, leading to a physical altercation before a witness stepped in to detain him until officers arrived.
At the time of the robbery attempt, Rodriguez was on pretrial release for three separate shoplifting cases. Despite his criminal history, he was released on probation by Judge Shelley Sutker-Dermer after pleading guilty to attempted robbery in February.
Following his sentencing, Rodriguez was arrested again in February for misdemeanor assault in the Loop, then for a felony drug charge in April, and finally for turnstile jumping at a CTA station in the Loop in April as well.
Despite warnings about potential deportation due to his criminal activities, Rodriguez continued to be released and reoffend. With his current detention by ICE, it is likely that he will face deportation, bringing his turbulent time in Chicago to an end.
It is worth noting that Rodriguez’s repeated arrests and releases occurred shortly after the enactment of the Laken Riley Act, which mandates the federal detention of illegal immigrants accused of specific crimes, including theft and assault.
