Chicago homeowner files federal suit over warrantless CBP raid on his property

Leo Feler, a Chicago homeowner, filed a federal complaint after Customs and Border Protection agents stormed his three-unit building on October 24, 2025, without a warrant. The agents arrived in unmarked vehicles, jumped the fence, and pursued four subcontracted construction workers who were eating lunch, entering the yard, garage and even a private balcony. Despite a tenant’s demand to see a warrant and lack of consent, the officers continued the search and detained one worker in the garage.

Feler’s Ring doorbell captured the incident, showing agents shouting profanities and ignoring his repeated commands to leave. The Institute for Justice argues the raid violated the Fourth Amendment, noting no arrest or search warrants existed and no criminal activity was suspected. Government filings acknowledge the detained worker was taken without a warrant, and there is no evidence the agents had any specific intelligence on the workers. The lawsuit challenges the broader use of racial profiling authorized by a recent Supreme Court decision and seeks redress for property damage and constitutional infringement.