Updated Monday April 27, 2026 at 4 p.m.
Federal agents are in Champaign-Urbana this week, including the FBI and drug enforcement officers.
However, the agents are not carrying out immigration enforcement, according to the FBI.
“We’ve done this many times. Champaign’s used because there’s a lot of hotels. It’s next to the highways. It’s next to a bunch of field offices. There’s a lot of good places to eat,” said Springfield FBI Special Agent Jake Griffin.
“I understand why, given the current situation, why people would start to assume something was going on with ICE.”
Griffin said the agencies in town are the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the U.S. Marshals and they are working on various programs to address violent crime.
Griffin added their activities are not related to immigration, and he hasn’t heard of any Immigration and Customs Enforcement plans for the area.
Champaign County sheriff dispels ICE rumors
Rumors spread over the weekend that ICE agents would be in town starting Monday.
Champaign County Sheriff Dustin Heuerman said on Sunday night that the rumors were not true.
“It is completely a rumor that ICE will be in town and not based on reliable information. I have verified this weekend with our federal partners that there are no scheduled ICE operations occurring in our area,” Heuerman said.
“There are some non-ICE federal agents supposed to be in Central Illinois this week working with some local jurisdictions on criminal warrant apprehension.”
Heuerman says that task is not immigration-related and the people involved are not ICE agents.
On Friday, the New American Welcome Center at the University YMCA posted a statement saying the immigrant advocacy group had heard the rumors and was taking the threat seriously.
On Saturday, Urbana Mayor DeShawn Williams said the city had not heard verified information and was actively monitoring the situation.
Immigrant groups staying alert
The New American Welcome Center is working remotely this week, “to protect the safety of our clients,” Director Francisco Baires said by email.
He added a joint statement with other immigrant groups, like the Refugee Center, about the federal presence in town.
“Without further details on the matter and without a clear understanding of the impacts on vulnerable immigrant and refugee communities, we are choosing to say alert,” the statement said.
Baires encouraged those in need of NAWC services to call the helpline at 217-417-5897. Anyone who thinks they see ICE can contact the community-led, rapid response team at 779-235-0262.