ICE declines to confirm Rivas' identity to The Daily Northwestern
U.S. Immigration and Customs EnforcementAgency spokesperson responding by email to The Daily Northwestern
An ICE spokesperson declined to confirm Esteban Rivas' identity when The Daily Northwestern asked on October 5. The spokesperson said publicizing officers' identities endangered them and their families.
“never confirm or deny attempts to dox our law enforcement officers.”
Reporting

Where this statement fits
Federal agents’ use of force during mistaken detention in Evanston
An Evanston resident reported injuries after federal agents detained and released him on September 20, 2026. Police said agents determined he was not their target. A witness and immigrant-rights advocates criticized the force used; an involved agent told police the man had resisted detention.
Source and context
Reporting
About this source
The Daily Northwestern reports an emailed ICE response received Monday, October 5, declining to confirm Esteban Rivas' identity. The October 6 article also describes police records identifying him. The email and publication times are not given; midnight denotes the stated dates.
Before the quotation
The Daily asked ICE to confirm the identity of an officer named in Evanston police records concerning the September 20 detention.
After the quotation
The Daily published the response October 6 and described police records identifying Rivas. Monday was October 5; the email time was not reported.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
The spokesperson expressly declines to confirm or deny the identity inquiry. This response concerns officer identification, not the legality of the detention.
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- ICE declines to confirm Rivas' identity to The Daily Northwestern
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The Dispute Index. "ICE declines to confirm Rivas' identity to The Daily Northwestern". First published: 2026-10-06. Last updated: 2026-10-06. https://disputeindex.com/events/4859-an-ice-spokesperson-declined-to-confirm-esteban-rivas