For months, the Trump administration has justified its dramatic midnight raid on a Chicago apartment complex by saying that it had intelligence that the violent Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua had taken over the building. But officials have provided no evidence to back up the claim.

Now, new documents confirm in the government’s own words that what prompted the raid was more pedestrian: allegations that immigrants were squatting in the complex. And the landlord had given federal officials, who were already targeting immigrants in Chicago, the blessing to search the building.

Archived at https://web.archive.org/web/20260206123130/https://www.propublica.org/article/chicago-venezuela-immigration-ice-raid-landlord-tren-de-aragua

    • WHARRGARBL@lemmy.world
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      4 months ago

      My first thought, too. Then I looked at this Trinity Flood, who is either a person (unlikely) or a property developer/investment company. That’s a murky fucking pit. It has a history of not paying on loans and declaring bankruptcy - the trump model of business. Is it a shell company?

      Meanwhile, Corey Oliver, the property manager, has been in cahoots with a PAC that appears to be bribing Chicago aldermen. It’s all a giant shitshow of corruption and sleazy business dealings.

      • Corkyskog@sh.itjust.works
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        4 months ago

        Wasn’t the owner of the building underwater on it and it all needed asbestos remediation and after the raid it became an insurance write off. That’s what I have heard anyway.

        • WHARRGARBL@lemmy.world
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          4 months ago

          I didn’t see anything that specifically mentioned asbestos, but yes to being underwater, which can be advantageous in shady property developments. Trinity Flood seems to have a long history of slumlord behavior in its Illinois, Georgia, and Arizona properties, and while the insurance angle isn’t apparent, there’s certainly a pattern resembling exploitation and scammy business practices.

    • fartographer@lemmy.world
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      4 months ago

      Any vacant property should be considered a liability and the landlord should be charged with negligence and endangering the community. If a landlord can’t get enough tenants to occupy their property, and report on ongoing conditions, then they should be required to hire full-time (40 hrs/week) human community members to monitor and occupy a reasonable number of units, while providing daily reports on ongoing conditions.

      Waived rent and utility costs would be an acceptable form of payment.