Chicago homeowner sues US govt over alleged warrantless immigration raid that damaged property

A Chicago homeowner has filed a lawsuit against the US government, alleging that immigration officers entered his property without a warrant, damaged his home and ignored repeated demands to leave during an enforcement operation last year.Leo Feler, who lives in Chicago's Lakeview neighbourhood, filed the lawsuit on July 28 with the help of the Institute for Justice, a public interest law firm. According to the firm, the case seeks to hold both the federal government and the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers involved accountable for an 'unlawful' raid on his property in October 2025.The lawsuit follows an incident that took place while renovation work was being carried out at Feler's three-unit home.

According to the complaint, immigration officers entered the property without a warrant while chasing construction workers hired by a contractor working on the house.Feler says the operation caused extensive damage to his property and left him feeling unsafe in his own home. He is seeking damages under the Federal Tort Claims Act and is also suing the individual CBP officers involved.

What lawsuit says

According to the lawsuit, Feler had hired a contractor to replace windows and siding at his home.

On October 24, 2025, four workers employed by the contractor were eating lunch outside the property when two vans carrying masked and heavily armed CBP officers arrived.The complaint alleges that the officers drove the wrong way down the street before getting out of their vehicles and chasing the workers. Several workers who had been outside the property's six-foot fence ran inside and closed the gate behind them.The lawsuit says the officers first tried to break the fence lock but failed. They then climbed over the fence and continued chasing the workers through the property, including the backyard, balcony and detached garage, despite not having a search warrant.Institute for Justice attorney Dylan Moore says the case raises concerns about constitutional protections against warrantless government action."When government agents storm someone's property without a warrant and cause tens of thousands of dollars in damage, they must be held accountable," Moore says.He adds that the Fourth Amendment was intended to protect people from exactly this kind of government trespass.

Owner watched raid live

Feler was not at home during the incident. He was attending a work conference outside Chicago when he received alerts from his Ring security cameras.According to the lawsuit, he watched the officers enter his property through the live camera feed. Using the cameras' microphones, he repeatedly told the officers they were trespassing and instructed them to leave.The complaint also says Feler's tenant, who was the only person at home, asked the officers to produce a warrant. The officers allegedly ignored the request and continued searching the property.Feler then cancelled his plans to run a marathon after his work meetings and booked the next available flight back to Chicago.Recalling the incident, Feler says he was shocked by what he saw on the security footage. "I was shocked and outraged when I saw these agents jumping over my fence, trespassing, and damaging my property without a warrant and without any valid reason," he says, as quoted by the Institute for Justice."Since the raid, it's been difficult to feel secure in my own home, because if our government can do this without even being investigated, let alone held accountable, what prevents them from doing it again?" Feler adds.

Tear gas 'for fun'

According to the lawsuit, three of the four workers managed to leave the property during the chase. A fourth worker ran into Feler's detached garage, where officers detained him. The worker was later released.As officers escorted the detained worker to the front yard, neighbours and protesters began gathering outside the property. The lawsuit alleges that officers used tear gas despite having a clear route to leave the area. It says the gas drifted towards a nearby playground.According to Axios report, court filings also cite body camera footage in which one officer allegedly encouraged another to throw tear gas 'for fun'.

'Damage' to property

Feler says the raid caused damage worth tens of thousands of dollars. According to the lawsuit, damaged items included fences, an air-conditioning unit and construction equipment being used for the renovation project.Feler says when he returned home, he found visible property damage as well as several puddles of blood. The lawsuit states that the experience affected his sense of security and disrupted the renovation work.It further says he delayed the construction project for several months because he feared workers could again become targets of another immigration operation.

Months of no response

Feler filed a police report after returning home. He also says lawyers from the Institute for Justice submitted formal complaints to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in December 2025. According to him, after receiving no response for about six months, they filed the lawsuit in federal court.The case has been filed in the Northern District of Illinois under the Federal Tort Claims Act, which allows claims against the federal government for damage allegedly caused by federal employees while carrying out their duties.In addition to suing the federal government, Feler is also pursuing claims against the individual CBP officers involved in the operation.Speaking outside his home after filing the lawsuit, Feler says the case is about accountability. "I'm bringing this case out of respect, admiration, and duty to my country, to our Constitution, and to my neighbours who were tear-gassed as they were trying to defend my home," he says.