UPDATE: A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent has been arrested for driving under the influence (DUI) shortly after completing an 18-hour shift at the Broadview processing center in the western suburbs of Chicago. Guillermo Diaz-Torres, 33, of Albuquerque, New Mexico, was taken into custody on October 26, 2023, in Oak Brook, raising urgent questions about the conduct of those enforcing immigration laws.
This arrest comes during ICE’s Operation Midway Blitz, a controversial enforcement initiative targeting undocumented immigrants, where DUI offenses have been cited as grounds for detention and deportation. Now, an agent involved in this operation faces the very same charges he helps to enforce.
Police reports indicate that Diaz-Torres was found asleep at the wheel following a crash that occurred around 1:30 AM, just 90 minutes after he finished his shift. His vehicle reportedly jumped a curb and struck a row of shrubs, narrowly avoiding a pedestrian crosswalk and a nearby pole.
“I got off shift. I came here. You guys have a checkpoint. This doesn’t look good,”
Diaz-Torres told officers during the arrest, according to body camera footage. The officer responded, “None of that matters. This is unacceptable.”
Upon arrival, officers noted Diaz-Torres exhibited signs of intoxication, including slurred speech and bloodshot eyes, with a strong smell of alcohol present. Despite being unable to explain his whereabouts after work, he insisted he was heading straight to his hotel in Lombard, Illinois—less than 10 miles away.
Diaz-Torres was subjected to multiple sobriety tests, which he failed, and he declined to take a Breathalyzer test at the scene. “I’m not going to do that,” he stated, further complicating his situation. He is now facing a court date on December 5, 2023, in DuPage County.
Legal analysts are closely monitoring the case, which is expected to go to trial. According to CBS News Chicago legal analyst Irv Miller, the outcome will hinge solely on Diaz-Torres’s guilt regarding the DUI charge. “This judge has nothing to do with the conditions of his employment,” Miller explained. “The only issue is whether or not he’s guilty.”
Diaz-Torres, who has no prior criminal history, may face serious repercussions if found guilty, especially considering his role in detaining others for similar offenses. The situation raises significant ethical questions about the integrity of enforcement agents who themselves are accused of breaking the law.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has yet to comment on the incident, leaving many to wonder about the implications for Diaz-Torres’s employment status and the broader impact on ICE’s operations.
As this situation develops, the community and advocates for immigration reform are calling for accountability, emphasizing the importance of integrity in law enforcement. The implications of this case could resonate far beyond the courtroom, affecting public perception of immigration enforcement practices.
Stay tuned for updates on this unfolding story as more details emerge.
