DHS says Illinois' policies meant the suspect was released after court despite felony charges

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Verification that the listed charges are Class 4 felonies under Illinois law, that state/local policies or directives prevented detention on immigration hold, and court or booking records show the suspect was released after the court appearance.

Source summary
The Department of Homeland Security released a video honoring Megan Bos, whose partially decomposed body was found in a garbage can in Waukegan, Illinois on April 10, 2025. DHS says the suspect, Jose Mendoza-Gonzalez, an immigrant from Mexico, was charged with abuse of a corpse and related offenses but was released after a court appearance because the charges were not detainable under Illinois policies until ICE arrested him on July 19, 2025. The release also announces the relaunch of the Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement (VOICE) office and provides contact information for victims. DHS officials criticized Illinois’ sanctuary policies and framed the case as an example of why the department is prioritizing immigration-related criminal enforcement.
Latest fact check

Unable to complete full verification: several credible Illinois legal sources and local court records needed to confirm whether the specific charges filed in Lake County were Class 4 felonies and whether Illinois sanctuary policies legally prohibited pretrial detention in this case. DHS press releases assert these facts, and local reporting indicates the defendant was released at his initial court appearance and later arrested by ICE on July 19, 2025, but I could not access independent court charging documents or the Lake County judge's release order to definitively confirm statutory classifications and the legal basis for release. Recommend review of Lake County court docket, charging documents, and Illinois statutes (including any 2025 amendments) for confirmation.

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Timeline

  1. Scheduled follow-up · Feb 05, 2026overdue
  2. Completion due · Feb 05, 2026
  3. Update · Jan 29, 2026, 09:30 AMTech Error
    Unable to complete full verification: several credible Illinois legal sources and local court records needed to confirm whether the specific charges filed in Lake County were Class 4 felonies and whether Illinois sanctuary policies legally prohibited pretrial detention in this case. DHS press releases assert these facts, and local reporting indicates the defendant was released at his initial court appearance and later arrested by ICE on July 19, 2025, but I could not access independent court charging documents or the Lake County judge's release order to definitively confirm statutory classifications and the legal basis for release. Recommend review of Lake County court docket, charging documents, and Illinois statutes (including any 2025 amendments) for confirmation.
  4. Original article · Jan 28, 2026

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