Federal authorities have arrested a 32-year-old illegal immigrant who was allegedly involved in a ᴅᴇᴀᴅly 2024 Tren de Aragua-linked mᴀss shooting in Chicago, highlighting what Department of Homeland Security officials describe as the dangers of sanctuary city policies.

Giovanna Mercedes Moreno Occhipinti, a Venezuelan national with dual Italian citizenship, was taken into custody by ICE agents on May 13, 2026. According to DHS, she had been living illegally in the United States after overstaying her visa. Officials allege she played a key role in a shooting that left three people ᴅᴇᴀᴅ and five others injured at a house party on Chicago’s South Side in December 2024.

Authorities say Occhipinti drove the two suspected gunmen — Ricardo Granadillo Padilla and Edward Martinez Cermeno — to the scene of the crime. Following the shooting, she allegedly helped them evade police. Multiple firearms were later found inside her vehicle, according to federal investigators.

Although Chicago police arrested Occhipinti shortly after the incident on weapons-related charges, she was released from custody without ICE being notified, in line with the city’s sanctuary policies. DHS officials have strongly criticized this decision, arguing that it allowed a dangerous individual to remain in the community.

“Although Chicago police arrested this illegal alien shortly after the shooting, sanctuary politicians released her from jail without notifying ICE,” said DHS Acting ᴀssistant Secretary Lauren Bis. She added that under the current administration, federal authorities are now prioritizing the removal of criminal illegal immigrants who were previously protected by local sanctuary policies.

Occhipinti had entered the United States legally in October 2021 under the Visa Waiver Program but failed to depart by the required date of January 2, 2022. She later worked as a teacher at a school in the Chicago suburb of Elgin, though Illinois officials have refused to disclose the name of the insтιтution to federal authorities.

The two alleged gunmen she is accused of driving were eventually deported after the Cook County State’s Attorney’s office declined to prosecute them. However, Occhipinti remained in the U.S. until her recent federal arrest.

HSI Chicago Special Agent in Charge Matthew Scarpino described her alleged actions as deliberate. “Giovanna Mercedes Moreno Occhipinti’s actions were calculated and deliberate, leading to the loss of three lives,” he said. “I’m proud of our agents for pursuing this case to the end, ensuring that everyone who helped facilitate this mᴀss homicide is brought to justice.”

The case has reignited debate over sanctuary policies in Chicago and across Illinois. Federal officials argue that these policies prevent local law enforcement from cooperating with ICE, allowing criminal illegal immigrants to avoid deportation even after serious offenses.

Occhipinti is currently being held at the Grayson County Detention Center in Leitchfield, Kentucky, as immigration proceedings continue. The incident has drawn renewed attention to the challenges of enforcing immigration law in jurisdictions that limit cooperation with federal authorities.

For now, the focus remains on ensuring that individuals accused of facilitating violent crimes, regardless of immigration status, are held accountable under federal law.