Chicago homeowner sues federal government over warrantless CBP raid that damaged his house

Leo Feler, who lives in Chicago’s Lakeview neighborhood, sued the United States government and the individual Customs and Border Protection officers involved in an October 2025 operation that entered his three-unit residence without a search warrant. According to the complaint, four contractors were eating lunch outside when two CBP vans arrived, the agents drove the wrong way down the street, attempted to break the fence lock, then climbed over the fence and chased the workers through the yard, garage and balcony, ultimately detaining one worker.

Feler, monitoring the scene on his Ring security system, repeatedly ordered the officers to leave and his tenant asked for a warrant, which was ignored. The raid allegedly caused tens of thousands of dollars in damage to fences, an air-conditioning unit and construction gear, and officers deployed tear gas that drifted toward a playground, with a body-camera video suggesting it was used “for fun.” After filing a police report and receiving no response to complaints lodged with the Department of Homeland Security, Feler filed the lawsuit in the Northern District of Illinois under the Federal Tort Claims Act, seeking accountability for the alleged Fourth Amendment violation.