11/09/2025
Today, in response to a habeas petition filed alongside the ACLU of IL, a federal judge has ordered ICE to release our clients Pablo Moreno Gonzalez and Felipe Agustin Zamacona immediately.
In response, Alexa Van Brunt, Director of the MacArthur Justice Center’s Illinois office issued the following statement: “Today, we celebrate that our clients Mr. Moreno Gonzalez and Mr. Agustin Zamacona will be coming home to their communities. After bravely sharing their harrowing accounts of what it is like to be detained in Broadview, we are incredibly relieved that they no longer have to be held in inhumane conditions and can be safely returned to their families.”
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This week, we also heard from our fellow advocates about the ongoing impact of holding ICE/DHS/CBP accountable in Illinois following Wednesday’s TRO requiring better conditions at the Broadview ICE facility.
Nate Eimer, Partner at Eimer Stahl and co-counsel on the Moreno Gonzalez et al. v. Noem et al. case: “The order from Wednesday is an important step toward addressing the constitutional violations occurring at Broadview. Denying individuals their fundamental rights, including the right to counsel, and due process must never be accepted. This ruling is a critical measure to restore basic rights and human dignity to those held at the facility. Immediate action was necessary, and we are grateful for the court’s swift attention to these issues. We hope defendants will act quickly to comply with the order, easing suffering and preventing the dire consequences that occur when detainees’ legal protections are stripped away.”
Kevin Herrera, Legal Director of Raise the Floor Alliance and witness in the Moreno Gonzalez et al. v. Noem et al. case: “We are appalled that it took such distressing experiences to bring basic humane conditions and fundamental rights to the individuals who are imprisoned, often unlawfully, at Broadview. This win would not be possible without Raise the Floor worker centers, who have been on the frontlines of documenting and responding to ICE’s shameful campaign of aggression and lawlessness. We will not relent until justice is served to all whose rights have been violated and our communities can live in peace and dignity.”
Shelby Vcelka, Immigration Attorney and witness in Moreno Gonzalez v. Noem et al. case: “I am thankful to the team that put together this lawsuit and heartened by Judge Gettleman's decision. It is a recognition that people in immigration detention deserve due process, access to legal counsel, safe detention conditions, and basic human dignity. No one deserves to be degraded and have their constitutional rights violated for the sake of public policy. I hope this case will have an impact on immigration detention reform, which is desperately needed nationwide.”
To read more about Moreno Gonzalez et al. v. Noem et al., visit https://www.macarthurjustice.org/case/moreno-gonzalez-v-noem-et-al/
