Illinois officials have issued a stern warning to major rental car companies: using immigration agents' vehicles with swapped-out license plates is illegal. The letters, sent to at least 19 national car rental headquarters via the Freedom of Information Act, were sparked by public complaints about immigration agents switching license plates on rented cars during Operation Midway Blitz in the Chicago area.
According to documents obtained by NBC News, more than 600 public complaints have been filed, resulting in one license plate revocation so far. The Illinois secretary of state's office has reviewed these complaints and is taking action against companies that fail to comply with the law.
The letters demand that rental car companies warn their customers about the practice of swapping or altering license plates on vehicles registered in Illinois. Failure to do so could result in fines, potential jail time, and even suspending or revoking Illinois license plates.
This move comes as part of an effort to crack down on immigration enforcement agents using rental cars for deportation operations. The Illinois secretary of state's office has launched a hotline, "Plate Watch," urging the public to report instances where law enforcement vehicles are not carrying valid license plates.
The letters raise questions about the extent to which federal agencies are using rental cars to assist in carrying out government immigration operations. Meanwhile, some companies have already come under fire for allegedly authorizing the use of their trucks for deportation operations.
As tensions between state and federal government entities escalate, Illinois officials are sending a clear message: no one is above the law when it comes to public safety and protecting communities. The secretary of state's office will continue to monitor the situation and take action against companies that fail to comply with the law.
According to documents obtained by NBC News, more than 600 public complaints have been filed, resulting in one license plate revocation so far. The Illinois secretary of state's office has reviewed these complaints and is taking action against companies that fail to comply with the law.
The letters demand that rental car companies warn their customers about the practice of swapping or altering license plates on vehicles registered in Illinois. Failure to do so could result in fines, potential jail time, and even suspending or revoking Illinois license plates.
This move comes as part of an effort to crack down on immigration enforcement agents using rental cars for deportation operations. The Illinois secretary of state's office has launched a hotline, "Plate Watch," urging the public to report instances where law enforcement vehicles are not carrying valid license plates.
The letters raise questions about the extent to which federal agencies are using rental cars to assist in carrying out government immigration operations. Meanwhile, some companies have already come under fire for allegedly authorizing the use of their trucks for deportation operations.
As tensions between state and federal government entities escalate, Illinois officials are sending a clear message: no one is above the law when it comes to public safety and protecting communities. The secretary of state's office will continue to monitor the situation and take action against companies that fail to comply with the law.
Illinois officials r taking a stand and we gotta respect dat i mean wut would u do if u rented car from compny thats rite? 
swapping out license plates is just another level of shady 
it's not like they're hiding it or anything, but still, this is what happens when you have to skirt around the law 
and now there's a hotline for people to report any suspicious activity... plate watch, lol 
it's like we're living in a spy novel, folks 
. Like, I get it, public safety is a big deal, but shouldn't these companies just be transparent about who's driving their cars? It's not like they're hiding anything under the hood... or in this case, on the license plate 
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We should all be able to feel safe knowing that our reports can help keep law enforcement on their toes 
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. I mean, can you imagine if a private company did this? They'd be shut down in an instant 
. What's next? Are they going to start using ambulances for deportation operations? 
I'm just saying, if a company is renting out their cars, they need to make sure those cars are being used for legitimate purposes, not as tools for enforcement 
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These agencies are already being accused of abusing their power and putting people in harm's way during deportation operations. The last thing we need is private companies getting involved in law enforcement activities that can compromise public safety.
seriously though, who gives them permission to drive around like that? it's like they think they're above the law... well, not anymore, illinois is taking action and I'm all about it 
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Illinois officials are literally cracking down on rental car companies for using immigration agents' vehicles with swapped-out license plates. It's like, who does that?! And now there's a hotline called "Plate Watch" so people can report if they see law enforcement vehicles without valid plates... it's like, what's next? 
The fact that over 600 public complaints have been filed and only one plate revocation has happened is wild. I'm all for keeping communities safe, but this feels so extreme. Are we talking about a whole new level of government surveillance? 
If they can't be trusted to protect their customers' safety, how can we trust them? 
I'm all for keeping our communities safe, but using immigration agents' vehicles without proper clearance is a huge red flag 
. The fact that over 600 complaints have been filed is proof that this practice needs to stop ASAP! 
