Chicago Landlord Ordered to Pay $80,000 for Immigration Threat

A Chicago landlord has been ordered to pay $80,000 after threatening to call immigration authorities on tenants who rented an apartment from him in 2020.

Marco Antonio Contreras was sued under the Illinois Immigrant Tenant Protection Act, which prohibits landlords from using a tenant’s immigration status as a means of harassment or eviction, the Chicago Sun-Times reported. The Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund sued on behalf of the couple in 2022.

The couple had rented a basement apartment from Contreras and his wife since 2017. But on June 30, 2020, a dispute over rent escalated when Contreras threatened to report them to immigration enforcement officials, according to court documents.

An Illinois circuit court judge ruled last month that Contreras violated the law and ordered him to pay $80,000 in damages, along with attorneys’ fees and court costs. The judge also awarded the tenants additional compensation for being denied access to their belongings.

The couple, who chose to remain anonymous, said they took legal action to stand up against intimidation.

Theirs was the first case to reach a judgment under the 2019 law, which made Illinois the second state to establish legal protections for immigrant tenants, according to Mexican American Legal Defense group.

Chicago has a long history of problematic landlords, ranging from neglectful property owners to outright slumlords. The city has strong tenant protections, but enforcement can be inconsistent, leaving many renters vulnerable to housing violations and harassment.

Infamous landlords and legal battles include Pangea Properties, which was once one of the city’s largest landlords for low-income tenants. The company was sued for aggressive eviction tactics, failing to maintain properties and excessive late fees. Pangea later sold all of its Chicago holdings, however the litigation remains ongoing.

— Rachel Stone